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Gregor Demarkian #15
Deadly Beloved
Down the aisle--to death
Armies on the eve of invasion could learn a thing or two about preparation from the denizens of Cavanaugh Street, who never do anything halfway. This time it's a wedding that's taking over the collective consciousness of the street...and bringing up painful memories for Gregor Demarkian. So when he's consulted on a murder in exclusive Fox Run Hill, the ex-FBI special agent is grateful for the diversion.
Why did country-club matron Patsy MacLaren Willis coldly shoot her husband in his sleep? Why did she remove every trace of her existence from the home they'd shared, pipe bomb her own car--and then disappear? The police think it's another marriage gone bad, but Demarkian thinks there's more to the case. And it soon looks like he's a second pipe bomb explodes, with devastating results, and Gregor knows that he must find a killer wedded to an explosive secret--before more victims take that final walk down the aisle.
Armies on the eve of invasion could learn a thing or two about preparation from the denizens of Cavanaugh Street, who never do anything halfway. This time it's a wedding that's taking over the collective consciousness of the street...and bringing up painful memories for Gregor Demarkian. So when he's consulted on a murder in exclusive Fox Run Hill, the ex-FBI special agent is grateful for the diversion.
Why did country-club matron Patsy MacLaren Willis coldly shoot her husband in his sleep? Why did she remove every trace of her existence from the home they'd shared, pipe bomb her own car--and then disappear? The police think it's another marriage gone bad, but Demarkian thinks there's more to the case. And it soon looks like he's a second pipe bomb explodes, with devastating results, and Gregor knows that he must find a killer wedded to an explosive secret--before more victims take that final walk down the aisle.
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
25 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
About the author
Jane Haddam
55 books133 followersAka Orania Papazoglou
Jane Haddam (b. 1951) is an American author of mysteries. Born Orania Papazoglou, she worked as a college professor and magazine editor before publishing her Edgar Award–nominated first novel, Sweet, Savage Death, in 1984. This mystery introduced Patience McKenna, a sleuthing scribe who would go on to appear in four more books, including Wicked, Loving Murder (1985) and Rich, Radiant Slaughter (1988).
Not a Creature Was Stirring (1990) introduced Haddam’s best-known character, former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian. The series spans more than twenty novels, many of them holiday-themed, including Murder Superior (1993), Fountain of Death (1995), and Wanting Sheila Dead (2005). Haddam’s most recent novels are Blood in the Water (2012) and Hearts of Sand (2013). Wife of William L DeAndrea.
Jane Haddam (b. 1951) is an American author of mysteries. Born Orania Papazoglou, she worked as a college professor and magazine editor before publishing her Edgar Award–nominated first novel, Sweet, Savage Death, in 1984. This mystery introduced Patience McKenna, a sleuthing scribe who would go on to appear in four more books, including Wicked, Loving Murder (1985) and Rich, Radiant Slaughter (1988).
Not a Creature Was Stirring (1990) introduced Haddam’s best-known character, former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian. The series spans more than twenty novels, many of them holiday-themed, including Murder Superior (1993), Fountain of Death (1995), and Wanting Sheila Dead (2005). Haddam’s most recent novels are Blood in the Water (2012) and Hearts of Sand (2013). Wife of William L DeAndrea.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 7, 2019
Deadly Beloved (Gregor Demarkian, #15) by Jane Haddam.
This wonderful author begins our story by introducing the 6 main characters. Patsy MacLauren Willis, Evelyn Adder, Molly Bracken, Sarah Lockwood, Karla Parrish, and Julienne Corbett. These 6 women had been classmates at Vassar years ago. Currently they reside at the exclusive gated community of Fox Run Hill. There is a major event that will take place momentarily in one of their homes. An event that will be followed by several sudden unexplained explosions. Are these events connected?
John Jackman calls Gregor Demarkian's attention to the news. He also calls for Demarkian's assistance in this latest investigation.
Demarkian's attention has been directed to another matter in his neighborhood. The anticipation of Donna Moradanyan's wedding has met a bump in the road. The decorations are up but the moral has plumeted. Bennis is at her wits end in problem solving this dilemna.
Another 5 star favorite in this splendid series. The characters I look forward to with each book. The author's writing is so comfortably easy to get into. Highly recommended.
This wonderful author begins our story by introducing the 6 main characters. Patsy MacLauren Willis, Evelyn Adder, Molly Bracken, Sarah Lockwood, Karla Parrish, and Julienne Corbett. These 6 women had been classmates at Vassar years ago. Currently they reside at the exclusive gated community of Fox Run Hill. There is a major event that will take place momentarily in one of their homes. An event that will be followed by several sudden unexplained explosions. Are these events connected?
John Jackman calls Gregor Demarkian's attention to the news. He also calls for Demarkian's assistance in this latest investigation.
Demarkian's attention has been directed to another matter in his neighborhood. The anticipation of Donna Moradanyan's wedding has met a bump in the road. The decorations are up but the moral has plumeted. Bennis is at her wits end in problem solving this dilemna.
Another 5 star favorite in this splendid series. The characters I look forward to with each book. The author's writing is so comfortably easy to get into. Highly recommended.
January 18, 2025
It's been a few years since I delved into the world of former FBI profiler Gregor Demarkian. I'm glad to refresh my memories of this entetaining mystery series. Deadly Beloved is the 15th book in the series by Jane Haddam. There is much excitement on Cavanaugh Street in Philadelphia as the community prepares for the impending nuptials of Donna Moradanyan and Russel Donahue, ex Philadelphia cop and now a lawyer. Gregor Demarkian is in a troubled mood as the whole thing is bringing back memories of his wedding to his now deceased wife Elizabeth. He needs a distraction... and he gets one.
Patsy McLaren Willis is making plans. Her husband Kevin has announced that he will no longer be traveling for his work and will instead be working in an office in Philadelphia. Patsy loads up her car with all of her belongings, shoots Kevin with a silenced revolver while he sleeps and then heads off, departing her gated community of Fox Run in the early hours. She parks in a parking garage downtown, leaves her car, goes to the bank and withdraws $15,000, then disappears. Shortly after that there is an explosion in the parking garage, destroying her car and everything else. Police Police Lt John Jackman calls in Gregor to consult on the murder and explosion.
And now begins a fascinating story, filled with excellent characters and more explosions and other action that will tax Gregor's ingenuity and skill as an investigator. All the while, he is also helping his friends Bennis and Tibor deal with the wedding crisis. Peter, Donna's ex boyfriend and purported father to her child has decided to make waves and is indicating he will show up to disrupt the wedding.
It's just a great, intricate, fun story for a murder mystery. The characters are so well defined and all play a role in the story. The residents of Fox Run all have a story to tell. The school mates of Patsy McLaren Willis all want to figure out the case and all want to talk to the famous Gregor Demarkian, the Armenian - American Hercule Poirot as the press describes him.
The story jumps from character to character, from the murder mystery to the wedding preparations. So many wonderful characters and such an entertaining mystery with a satisfying conclusion. Most enjoyable to enter this world again. (4.0 stars)
Patsy McLaren Willis is making plans. Her husband Kevin has announced that he will no longer be traveling for his work and will instead be working in an office in Philadelphia. Patsy loads up her car with all of her belongings, shoots Kevin with a silenced revolver while he sleeps and then heads off, departing her gated community of Fox Run in the early hours. She parks in a parking garage downtown, leaves her car, goes to the bank and withdraws $15,000, then disappears. Shortly after that there is an explosion in the parking garage, destroying her car and everything else. Police Police Lt John Jackman calls in Gregor to consult on the murder and explosion.
And now begins a fascinating story, filled with excellent characters and more explosions and other action that will tax Gregor's ingenuity and skill as an investigator. All the while, he is also helping his friends Bennis and Tibor deal with the wedding crisis. Peter, Donna's ex boyfriend and purported father to her child has decided to make waves and is indicating he will show up to disrupt the wedding.
It's just a great, intricate, fun story for a murder mystery. The characters are so well defined and all play a role in the story. The residents of Fox Run all have a story to tell. The school mates of Patsy McLaren Willis all want to figure out the case and all want to talk to the famous Gregor Demarkian, the Armenian - American Hercule Poirot as the press describes him.
The story jumps from character to character, from the murder mystery to the wedding preparations. So many wonderful characters and such an entertaining mystery with a satisfying conclusion. Most enjoyable to enter this world again. (4.0 stars)
February 19, 2022
I'm reading these books on my phone using the Libby app from my library and unfortunately they don't have all the books in this series so I had a skip a bunch of the early ones. I'll have to put a hold on the paper versions so I can go back and fill in the ones I missed.
At any rate, this was a good one (again, a bit contrived) and I've now read so many of these in a row that I notice particular tics in the way that this author writes. For example, when someone asks a question, the person responding doesn't simply say, "yes" or "no" but repeats the entire question in the answer. And of course, it's reading the phrase "the Armenian-American Hercule Poirot" about 800 times.
But I still like Gregor Demarkian and these clever set-ups. And they are diverting and fast-moving.
At any rate, this was a good one (again, a bit contrived) and I've now read so many of these in a row that I notice particular tics in the way that this author writes. For example, when someone asks a question, the person responding doesn't simply say, "yes" or "no" but repeats the entire question in the answer. And of course, it's reading the phrase "the Armenian-American Hercule Poirot" about 800 times.
But I still like Gregor Demarkian and these clever set-ups. And they are diverting and fast-moving.
October 29, 2017
Jane Haddam is back on track in Gregor Demarian's 15th book? Why would middle age housewife Patsy MacLaren Willis suddenly kill her husband Stephen Willis? And then plant a pipe bomb in her Volvo and disappear...who is this woman? Did/does she really ever exist? Only Gregor Demarkian can figure this one put...it is a real brain teaser!
August 17, 2020
I love the dry way Haddam can bring current events into extreme focus. She has a HLMenkin style of writing that I love.
Her characters are complex and the plot delicious. Her settings are extreme but exact! This plot is a bit easy to solve, but the story is so worth the read.
Her characters are complex and the plot delicious. Her settings are extreme but exact! This plot is a bit easy to solve, but the story is so worth the read.
September 14, 2017
Good old Gregor Demarkian solves another case.
August 19, 2021
I really enjoyed Jane Haddam's Deadly Beloved. Gregor Demarkian has to deal with the suburb from heck & the wedding of the century in his own neighborhood.
December 24, 2015
Gregor is know throughout the book as the 'Armenian-American Hercule Poirot.' The title gets a little old after awhile but I enjoyed the book. The beginning threw me off a little- I was anticipating one of my warm fuzzy cozy mysteries and this one started out with a middle aged housewife living in a gated community shooting her husband to death. It another house on the street is a morbidly obese wife whose husband tries to control her eating habits with a locked fridge. It took me awhile to get into but I ended up enjoying it. I did feel that some of the peripheral stories weren't wrapped up as much as I would have liked but I'd definitely read this series again.
March 11, 2012
This, I think, concludes my reread of this mystery series - though I was a bit pissed off at being misled by the lists in the front of my copies to suppose that this one, in internal chronology, came after, rather than before, Baptism in Blood. I thought I recalled it being DB then BiB and I was right. But I think this one came out first in hardback and the paperback after BiB? (if there's a logical explanation at all apart from some publisher whim.)
Anyway, I think I am off the Haddam kick for the moment though I see that a new one is due out shortly.
Anyway, I think I am off the Haddam kick for the moment though I see that a new one is due out shortly.
January 4, 2010
Probably my least favorite of the Gregor Demarkian mystery series that I've read thus far. Just a little thin, but still an enjoyable read.
December 9, 2011
There is no such thing as a bad Jane Haddam Gregor Demarkian mystery. They are always good and it was a pleasure to find this older one that I had not read.
December 24, 2016
Wedding theme got really old - really quickly. Probably shouldn't have been my first Gregor Demarkian Mystery. I'll try another book in the series.
March 31, 2011
nasty beginning way too many kinds of marital strife
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews