Ding Dong Dead

Gretchen Birch #4

by Deb Baker

Doll restorer Gretchen Birch and the other Phoenix Dollers can hardly wait to open their doll museum. But when an out-of-town doll-maker meets her own maker, the Dollers’s dream-come-true will soon prove more of a nightmare.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Detective, Womens, Suspense, Cozy

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 1, 2008

About the author

Bestselling, award-winning author Deb Baker writes the hilarious Gertie Johnson mystery series set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. A native Yooper herself, Deb brings her blend of humor and sass to everything she writes, including mysteries written under her pen name Hannah Reed.

In addition to the Yooper mysteries, Deb/Hannah also penned a doll collecting series, beekeeping mysteries, and a Scottish Highland trilogy.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

When a dead body is found in a Phoenix cemetery with a hand-crafted doll, Gretchen, a doll-repair expert who's dating doll-phobic policeman Matt, wants to get involved. Soon it seems that the death is related to a number of things near and dear to Gretchen: the victim was an acquaintance of Gretchen's mother, the homeless couple she has befriended were witnesses, and there's some strange connection to the doll museum that the local collectors' group is trying to organize. Unfortunately, all the pieces did not come together for me, though I've enjoyed other books by Baker.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a very particularly well-written story. Long on irrelevant details and really short on details to drive the narrative of the mystery. Author feels compelled to introduce various hot-button issues simply to make a soap-box statement. Characters are way to chatty about nonsensical topics and make ridiculous leaps of logic. It's like evesdropping at a hair salon... Won't make the mistake of picking up any others in the series. Editor should have been more brutal in corrections critiques.

Stick with real classic mystery authors like Rex Stout and Agatha Christie!

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good cozy mystery with lots of interesting information about dolls, doll collecting, and doll restoration.

[Marion Hogervorst · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's getting a bit boring. The cop-boyfriend who is over protective, we know that song by now.

But it was not bad, not yet...

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 - Good

[Phoebe]

I'm glad this is the last book in the series. I would have otherwise had to decide whether to continue or not. Decision made for me. Once again (as I did with the Booktown cozy mystery series) I rather quickly (by the end of book two) grew tired of the MC and chose my own. Gretchen was replaced by her aunt Nina. Much more interesting, relatable, fun! I didn't dislike this book overall, however it had an introduction to a new character that was odd, off - incongruent. I can't fathom why it was written the way it was, and then went, really, nowhere. He's simply a new character. He was presented like perhaps we were supposed to wonder, even just briefly, if he was the bad guy...?? Hard to explain. It just stood out in an unnecessary way to me. Clunky. I enjoyed the four books for what they were, though they weren't my favorite cozies. I appreciated the ghostly touch to this storyline. For me ghosts are always a nice addition to a mystery.

[Paschalis]

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[Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great mystery by Deb Baker! I read through this one in a day, feigning a cold slightly worse than what it actually was just so that I wouldn't be interrupted by my husband and son. I've learned quite a bit about different types of dolls from the 4 books in this series, and I've enjoyed that. The author has created some interesting characters with relationships that have their ups and downs - and she has given a real face to the homeless people that I tend to look past. The mysteries themselves are intriguing with moments of LOL humor and times of suspense. Gretchen Birch is such a likable character, as are her mother Caroline, aunt Nina, and friend April. If another comes out in this series, I'll be reading it!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

republished as Guise and Dolls: A Gretchen Birch Murder Mystery 11/21/2010

The doll collectors have been given an historic house to turn into a Doll Museum –which decide its haunted—strange weird things happen along with creepy murders leaving Gretchen in the middle of a mess with her boyfriend detective. Lots of surprised and love how she added her up North Michigan Aunt, Gertie Johnson, into the story! And all the miniature puppies help in aiding and helping out the mess!

[C.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book, hated for it to end. Twist and turns, chills and spills. The author kept me guessing and on the edge of my chair. This is a must read book, uh series. Yes, I started with the last one. A mistake I'll rectify.

[Micky Parise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice read. Characters and plot were well done. Recommend highly.

[Luanne Castle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun fun fun! I'm so sorry this is the end of the series!