With Friends Like These...

Amanda Pepper #4

by Gillian Roberts

A classic cover for the anthology of the same name by Alan Dean Foster featuring a young Mr and Mrs Whelan as the farmer and his wife. The son is based on the boy in the story.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller

272 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 2012

Reviews

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another stunning mystery novel by one of my top novelists, Gillian Roberts. The fourth installment of the Amanda Pepper series does not disappoint. As the books traverse on, I find myself more intrigued by Mandy's relationship with Mackenzie. What the heck is his first name? Has she tried the name Cole? I'm thinking he'd be pretty cool as a Cole, or a Christian or even a Corey. For the life of me I could not come up with a name that reminded me of Louisiana that started with a C. Except maybe Creole, and I'm not convinced even the cool Mackenzie dude could pull off that one.

Mandy is growing to become a wonderful civilian sleuth. And I think this is mostly because she doesn't even try, it's all so natural to her. She's not pretentious. She doesn't pull clues and answers out of her behind. She's just 100% pure lovable. If only I had a teacher like her back in high school!

I like the fact that you could also pick up this series at any point. You don't have to have read any of the previous mysteries to enjoy this one. And there is none of that annoying repetitive information you can sometimes find in series (like when an author feels the need to rehash prior plot lines to make you understand what is happening in the present book.) once again, Gillian gets two thumbs up and an A++ from me for her amazing Amanda Pepper.

[Linda Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable characters, and quick read. Will look for more of this series.

[ElaineY · Rating 3 out of 5]

These mothers desperate to get their daughter married off, is getting to be rather old. Are there any cozies where the mother is happy for her daughter just as she - the daughter - is?

What I like about this series - Amanda's beau, Detective C.K. Mackenzie, is involved in the plot throughout each book, unlike Julie Mulhern's Country Club Murders, whose detective is there merely as your imaginery eye candy. However, I found the resolution of this particular whodunit rather convoluted, being unable to follow the connection between the characters involved in the murder.

Written in the late 80's-2000's, so half of the series was written before the advent of smartphones. Not my favourite cozy series but better than most because there aren't any old biddies playing amateur sleuth.

[Alton Motobu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amanda Pepper is extremely unlikable. She is whiney, insecure, irrational and hypercritical about everybody and everything. She has nothing nice to say about anybody, not even her own parents. She doesn't seem to have many friends, and her boyfriend the cop refers to her as "you know." A threatening letter turns out to be a misrouted envelope, and a scarey car chase turns out to be absolutely nothing. Apparently other readers find this to be humorous and endearing, but I was turned off.

The mystery turns out to be bizarre; the killer is truly "psychopathetic" - kills by mistake and has no second thoughts about killing again. It was not funny - it was pathetic.

[Armanda Moncton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad but not great. The book is populated with unlikeable characters other than the protagonist. Everyone is a suspect. I'm not sure why I continued to the end, unless it is because of the sassy narrator/protagonist. I may try one more by this author to see if other plots are more congenial.

[Muriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Amanda Pepper mystery. Lots of funny sarcasm.

[Christine Lucia Asha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A happy ending....but was it though......

[Mare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another entertaining installment with Amanda and MacKenzie.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This will be my one and only Amanda Pepper books I read. I just didn't care for the character! She was too ditzy and reactionary for my taste. It was a pretty good who-done-it story though

[Fmorlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda Pepper is a school teacherin Philadelphia. She is socializing with her parents from Fla. when her father takes a. tumble and is laid up with a bad leg. Unfortunately, they were here for a party and now her mother needs someone to go with her. Step in Amanda - they attend a party of a old friend/relative who ends up dead. Enter Mackenzie (no first name yet) cop and boyfriend. While invstigating the crime to keep her mother from jail, she gets spooked at school with odd mail and a thrilling ride around downtown philly.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series was recommended by Nancy Pearl ("Book Lust"), and I'm glad I found it. Amanda Pepper is the main character, an English teacher in a private school, turned amateur sleuth, with likeable ancillary characters. I'm glad I found this series. I'll try more. Definitely fits my "cozy mystery" tastes.

[Ravenia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is filled with wordplay mystery and comedy. The storyline is being narrated by your average schoolteacher. In the beginning of the book, many events take place that are incorrectly interpreted. At the conclusion of this book, you realize it's best to hear the whole story before drawing any conclusions. In easy-going read for a relaxing day

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good, solid mystery. The story and the characters are interesting and the author tells her tale with a lot of humor. I did not figure out whodunit but the info I needed to was in the story, which is how I think a mystery should be written.

I'm not totally enamored with the author's writing style. It lacks suspense, excitement and I'm marking the story down a bit for that.

[Jean Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

As usual, i liked Roberts use of Philadelphia as a "character" in the book. Entertaining. As a former high school teacher, i could identify with the little segment of a boy having a crush on his teacher. I will read more f hers.

[Partridge Public]

Roberts, Gillian

[Cws]

M Rob

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda Pepper # 4

[Marla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this series but figured out a key element about 20 pages in. I am also ready for McKenzie and Mandy's relationship to head to the next level.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comfortable, engaging read with only a little of Mandy's eternal second-guessing and self-destructive relationship drama. Very enjoyable.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the book, the wit, the case, but Amanda did just too many unlikely, stupid things in this book.

[Peggi Warner-Lalonde]

A fun read, and the solution was a surprise to me. I'm looking forward to reading more by the same author.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 - Not bad, rather tedious

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book exceptionally well written and plotted.