Death at the Door

Death on Demand #24

by Carolyn G. Hart

Annie Darling—owner of the mystery bookstore, Death on Demand—prefers fictional crimes as opposed to the real things. But in one tragic week, two acts of violence shake the island community of Broward’s Rock. First, a beloved doctor is found shot dead, seemingly by his own hand. Only days later, a local artist is arrested after his wife is found murdered, bludgeoned by her husband’s sculpting mallet.
 
Convinced her brother did not commit suicide, the doctor’s sister turns to Annie and her husband, Max, for help. She has found a cryptic sketch her brother drew, linking him with the murdered woman. Did someone want them both out of the picture?
                                                                                                   
With the police considering both cases as good as closed, it’s up to Annie and Max to sort through a rogues’ gallery of suspects to see if someone is trying to frame the artist. But if Annie isn’t careful, she may find herself having her own brush with death…

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Fiction, Cozy, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Contemporary

397 pages, Hardcover

First published May 6, 2014

About the author

Also writing as Carolyn Hart.

An accomplished master of mystery with 46 published books, Carolyn Hart is the creator of the highly acclaimed Henrie O,Death on Demand, and Bailey Ruth Raeburn series. Her books have won multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. Letter from Home (2003), her standalone mystery set in Oklahoma, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is Dead by Midnight (William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2007). She is one of the founders of Sisters in Crime, an organization for women who write mysteries. She lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma."
New Books: Dead By Midnight Carolyn Hart


DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart On Sale March 29

The police say suicide. Annie Darling suspects murder. Max is unconvinced until Annie follows a trail behind the dead woman's house.

Annie unravels the mystery of a towel hidden at midnight in a gazebo, the interesting lack of fingerprints on a crystal mug, blood on a teenager's blue shirt, and the secret of a lovers' tryst. Max plunges deep into the woods to find incriminating evidence.

Annie sets the perfect trap for a merciless killer, but her cell phone rings and Death is on the line.

www.CarolynHart.com

And for cat lovers:

DEAD BY MIDNIGHT by Carolyn Hart

I love to have fun when writing a mystery. If I laugh, I think a reader will laugh. In the Death on Demand series, I especially enjoy writing about Annie Darling's ditzy mother-in-law, Laurel Roethke. Laurel is usually excited about a new interest, something that surprises and often confounds Annie.

In Dead by Midnight, Laurel creates Cat Truth Posters, which she wants Annie to hang in the bookstore. Annie thinks books should be the store's focus, but the posters enchant her.

Each poster features a cat's photograph with a caption. Here are three of the Cat Truth posters;

. . . a silky furred, mitted, and bicolored Ragdoll stretched out on a red silk cushion, looking as comfy as Eva Longoria in a Hanes ad: Go with the Flow.

A rectangular-muzzled, green-eyed, cholocolate colored cat appeared as brooding as a Gothic hero: Always Say Yes to Adventure.

. . . a thick-furred, piebald Siberian forest cat, its white front a brilliant contrast to a charcoal back and head. Its face appeared almost angelic: Always try a Smile First.

And yes, one of the posters points to a killer.

Fun for me and fun, I hope for readers

Reviews

[Readaholic Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book. While I guessed the murderer, or at least one of the murderers, early on in the book, it was still interesting. And I definitely love the fact that it mentions real books. It's like one book recommending other books.

[Fred · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death at the Door is the twenty-fourth book in the A Death on Demand series.

The morning after a party at the Wyler Art Gallery, Dr. Paul Martin is found dead from an apparent suicide by his sister Lucy. Lucy finds a cryptic message in her brothers study that alludes to the fact that Jane Corley's life is in danger. Shortly thereafter Jane's body is found by her husband Tom Edwards, she has beaten with a sculptor mallet of her husband. Tom immediately becomes a suspect in his wife death, but claims to have on the mainland when Paul Martin was killed.

Annie and Max find that there are many suspects other than Tom. Jane's brother David lives on allowance from his father's estate and administered by Jane. David is living beyond his means and possibly he wants all the estate. Also on Annie's list is Kevin Hubbard, who manages the marina that Jane owns and from, Hubbard has reportedly siphoning off money.

Annie and Max can once again count on Ingrid, Emma and Henry, loyal customer of Annie's bookstore, to help solve the mystery of who the killer is.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have others. Characters were introduced , one after the other, just by their first name and with no mention of who they might be related to or how they fit into the story line. As the story progresses , more is learned, but I found myself having to flip back forth to try and get straight the many characters.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite series!

I love this series. It’s like coming home to old friends. I’m rationing out these last books. Love Max and Annie. Broward’s Rock has a few too many murders for my taste but I’d still love to visit, especially Annie’s bookstore. The mystery was good and kept me guessing even after I guessed. I also always love the mentions of other books and authors, it’s always exciting if it’s something I’ve read.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best thing about this book is the cover. The story isn't very good. The best parts are when Annie and Max aren't talking about the case. The story begins and ends in the middle of things. I prefer books with more definite beginnings and endings. I also didn't like all the different perspectives. It would have been better with just Annie's and Max's perspectives, and the others explaining things to them. It's too repetitive the way it is.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

After twenty-some-odd mysteries, one might find Hart's 'Death on Demand' series formulaic by now, but not so. These characters are so well drawn and indelible and motives for mayhem and murder still fresh that it is no wonder this reader comes back to the island resort town of 'Broward's Rock' again and again.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read every one of the Death on Demand books and enjoyed traveling through the adventures with Max and Annie.
This time it seemed I had a rather hard time keeping track of the characters. It might have just been me but the middle of the book seemed to drag a little. Which is a real shocker!
A new Lydia Adamson book was mentioned! I haven't seen anything by her for years! Anybody have any tips on this?

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not happy at all with this book, it read like an itemized list of "who done it" Over and Over Again! I read almost half, then skipped to the end--was really bored with the constant LISTS!
A cpl books ago I found myself getting bored with the stories and characters and thought--1 more chance, the last book was good, not this one, maybe it's time to hang up this series.

[Judy Alter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading lately that authors should not let themselves fall into a formula but should vary their plots. Murder in the first chapter? Maybe not. Develop the characters first? Maybe a good idea. And yet as I finished another satisfying read in Carolyn Hart's Death on Demand Bookstore series it occurred to me she's done very well with a formula. The novels open with a series of vignettes so the reader knows these people will be involved--but how? Who is the victim? (Who is the murderer is far down the line).
The crime occurs fairly close to the first chapter if not in it, and then the intrepid sleuths move in, led by Annie Darling, bookstore owner; her mother-in-law Laurel; her laid-back but adoring husband Max; the most dedicated mystery reader on the island of Brower's Rock, Henny; and Emma, the supercilious, full of herself author of, so she says, world-class mysteries. If you're a Hart fan, as I am, you know these people intimately and are glad to be back in their company. And then there's Billy, the police chief, who only reluctantly listens to their advice, convinced he has already arrested the murderer. And the pompous mayor who only want the crime solved before it hurts the tourist trade.
Formula? Yes. But in the hands of a master storyteller like Hart it will keep you turning pages until the wee hours (it did me) and you won't guess the murderer until the end when Annie is in danger. I am always s glad to find a new Death on Demand book, and I long to eat an oyster poor boy with Annie at Parotti's.
I liked this book a lot.

[Lisa Ks Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s hard to believe that after twenty-three books in the same series, book twenty-four could be even better. It was! Author Carolyn Hart nurtures her Death On Demand series like a mother does her child, and it shows.

This book changed POVs among different characters and it kept the story fresh and gave me a glimpse into other parts of the story that readers don’t always get to see.

Main characters Annie and her husband Max really have their hands full in DEATH AT THE DOOR. With two deaths, and suspects around every corner, this story was everything a reader hopes for in a mystery. Page turning twists and turns had me second guessing myself through the entire book. When the truth finally came out, I was wide eyed and finally released the breath I had been holding.

Fans of the Death On Demand series are in for a true rollercoaster ride with this installment. I know I loved every minute of it! And happily, I have book twenty-five, DON’T GO HOME, waiting right next to me!

[Kellene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This used to be my favorite series, and I had forgotten how much I liked the books. Annie and Max are just so perfect, and the surrounding cast of characters keeps the stories active and enticing. The solution in this one was a bit convoluted and I was not on the right person at the end, but I do still enjoy the series. Unfortunately, there are only 2 or 3 that I haven't read yet.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one better than most due to the fact that Laurel didn't make much of an appearance in this one. I can't stand that character!

[Robert Nagel · Rating 3 out of 5]

So so mystery but I guessed who was the killer or at least one of the conspirators. The beginning was confusing with random unrelated introductions of characters. Also too many lists and newspaper articles to have to go thru. Not sure if I will try another one of Ms Hart’s books.

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://openbooksociety.com/article/de...

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

The small community of Broward’s Rock, South Carolina, is shocked when a beloved local doctor, Paul Martin, dies of an apparent suicide. His sister Lucy does not think he would do such a thing and implores Annie Darling, the local mystery bookstore owner who has a penchant for investigating, to help unearth the truth. Only a few days later, socialite Jane Corley is murdered in her home with her artist husband’s sculptor’s mallet. This makes her husband Tom the prime suspect in her murder. Annie, along with her husband Max, does not think Tom committed the crime and set out to clear his name and reveal a killer.

I have a real soft spot for Max and Annie Daarling. Death at the Door is the twenty-fourth book in this long running Death on Demand series, and I have followed along with them on all of their adventures. The pair does not really age so it is easy to read these books as stand alone or out of order. If anything, this lack of growth or change sometimes results in the characters being a bit stagnant, but lovely all the same. There are recurring characters such as Annie’s best customer, a local mystery writer, Max’s mother, the restaurant/ferry owner, business employees, and the police force that appear in each offering so it does feel like going home for a visit with old friends. And the setting of a South Carolina island is like a character in itself. Ms. Hart provides vivid images of a wonderful place and people.

As always, there are plenty of suspects and plot twists and turns to keep the reader interested. The suspects include a mistress, a brother and his wife, a personal assistant, a flighty friend and her husband, an art gallery owner, and the family’s property manager. In all, there are three murders, a fire, threats against a pet, and enough lies and omissions to keep Annie on her toes and eventually in mortal danger. This installment, however, did stall some in the middle. Annie seemed to be more of a list maker than she normally is, and she rehashed the list of suspects over and over without much addition or subtraction of information at any point. This ruminating, in addition to the rather dry informational reports that Max put together, became a little tedious at times. However, Ms. Hart’s writing continues to be top notch. For instance, when describing a suspect’s demeanor, she writes “[He was] as antsy as a West Pointer facing an unexpected inspection with porn hidden under the mattress.” (p.211) Ms. Hart is always entertaining.

Death at the Door may not be my favorite of the Death on Demand series, but it is still a strong traditional style mystery with plenty of fun characters and lush ambiance. I look forward to the Darling’s next adventure and recommend this mystery to fans of the series and readers who enjoy a Southern setting and a complex, finely crafted tale.

[Shirley Schwartz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max and Annie Darling are always a reliable source of great entertainment. I look forward to each new addition to this long-running series. Carolyn Hart has often been referred to as "The Queen of the Cozy", and that is a title that deserves. Her books are always tightly plotted and there are always lots of old familiar characters and a good sprinkling of new ones and the characters are all quirky. The setting for these books is exquisite - an island off the Georgia coast called Broward's Rock. It's a place where everyone knows everyone, but there are enough nasty villains to fill a much larger city. Annie, in her usual fearless fashion, is on the trail of a particularly cold-blooded and intelligent murderer this time. She is forced to prove to the local police that an apparent suicide and a murder are connected, but before she can do that there is an arson and another murder. With the help of her husband Max and Annie's three matronly helpers, they do manage to uncover the killer, but not before Annie finds herself in a very dangerous situation. This is a great series for cozy lovers, and I recommend it highly.

[S · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were a couple of things about this installment of the Death on Demand series that bugged me. First, was the way in which events of interest were disclosed - it was almost a let's go down the list approach - and it became tedious. There wasn't much thought put into the process - the usual supporting characters who often add fun elements to the story were used to help check off the list. The mystery itself was reasonably well thought out - I didn't suspect the killer till near the end of the book. But I thought that when Annie had figured it out, the story could have been wrapped up at that point. Putting her into a dangerous confrontation with the killer at the end was not very well done - and came off as completely cliche. It was a bit of a lazy effort, in my opinion. Perhaps Ms. Hart was rushed by a deadline. I hope she takes the time to get the next installment right, or retires the series. Annie and Max deserve better.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death at the Door by Carolyn Hart.

This is a death on demand mystery with Annie & Max Darling.

I can always come back to a Death on Demand mystery and feel comfortably at home. the setting is the Darlings mystery book shop and the Darlings are just that. they have each others back at all times.
A doctor is found dead seemingly by his own hands. Annie and Max are requested to find another answer to his death by his sister. At another part of town shortly after the doctor's death an artist's wife is found murdered and the artist is arrested. Two murders in one week in this quiet town. What gives? Are they connected in any way? Annie and Max have to get to the bottom of these developments.

The ending was a whirlwind of intensity and excitement.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know many people are devoted to this series, but I'm really on the fence about it--I read some, don't read others. This one--which includes several reports and letters--reads like maybe Hart is getting bored with these characters, too. At any rate, a local doctor becomes suspicious about someone's motives and then, surprisingly, kills himself. Then Jane, a rich woman, is killed and her husband accused. But Annie is sure that the husband is innocent. The doctor's sister is sure that he wasn't suicidal. Besides, he left a message saying "Protect Jane."

[Sherri Siegfriedt · Rating 2 out of 5]

On page 157 Irene " smoothed one carefully mascaraed eyebrow. " I wasn't aware that women use mascara on eyebrows! Who proof reads & check facts these days? And on page 132 David said " I got to talk to you. " And again later on in the book. Thought he was fairly educated. Also way too much information on the clothes each character was wearing.....rather have more of a description on island scenes or historical facts. A disappointing read!

[❂ Murder by Death · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Another excellent read for the Death on Demand series, although it felt like a LOT more introspection was included in this one; lots of suspect lists, summation, etc. Still, the mystery was very well plotted and the murderer was a mystery right until the end. Looking forward to #25!

Full review: http://jenn.booklikes.com/post/113803...

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read all of Carolyn Hart's Death on Demand mysteries, and this is the only one that I struggled to finish. There were too many characters to keep track of, and frankly I lost interest about half-way through. I hate giving this such a low rating, as CH is one of my favorite authors, but IMO it just...lacked.

[Lisa Neal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely my least favorite Death on Demand book. As always, I love Annie and Max, but this was not their best murder mystery. :(

[Robyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stopped on page 48. Same old same old and I just wasn't interested this time around.

[Beth Revers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this one. Annie and Max did some growing. The mystery was well done. Sticking with this series even though it may make my to be read list longer.

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dull. So very dull.

[Chanel Sharp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one starts of with a death thought to be a suicide, but Annie suspects differently. Than a second murder happens a low and behold Annie knows that there is a murder on the lose. Mom and I like how Annie and the crew worked to figure out this one. We also like how the sister in law was very convinced that her brother had not committed suicide and how adamant she was to get Annie's help to figure out who did it.
Emma is a little bit upset because Hennie got to pick the books that the pictures will be about this month and Emma is having a little trouble figuring out what book are behind the pictures.
There are a lot of couples and it is repeated that there is also a lot of cheating, which of course leads to a lot of motive why people would want to kill each other.
How this one ended was very interesting. Max has become more worried over time; not to say that Max has never worried about Anne in previous books, but it feels like Max used to be a bit more relaxed and now it is the end of the world if Annie is in any kind of deathly trouble.
Otherwise it was good to be back with the mystery solving group.

[Nicholas George · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hart's familiar cast of continuing characters in her 'Death on Demand' series are well-drawn and fun, but the by-the-numbers template she uses for her plots is definitely showing its age. Once again we have a dizzying number of suspects, any of whom could be a plausible villain. Unlike her idol Agatha Christie, Hart isn't that adept at burying intriguing clues early in the story that could logically lead to identifying the true killer. So we have the all-too-familiar situation where the murderer seems to have been chosen at the eleventh hour by picking a name out of a hat. Hart's prose is fine, and the Broward's Rock setting is as refreshing as ever, but there's far too much been-there-done-that in this one.

[Ian Wooder · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are not many books that I had to put down because they were either boring or just too hard to read but Death at the Door by Carolyn G. Hart is one of those books.

Throughout the book, there are places which she seems to express in some much detail that it kind of slows down the reading tempo. Details are great but there are times when the details are so much that are not really necessary to be as long as they are. Ms. Hart seemed to miss this understanding.

I tried numerous times to pick up the book, after having to put it down, and continue reading it but found myself just giving up.

If this is any indication of her writing style for her other novels, I am afraid that I won't be reading any of them.

[Clare · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it's because I have been reading some really well-written books of late, or perhaps Ms. Hart has grown bored with her Death on Demand characters and her writing has suffered, but this was a real snooze fest. In fact, I would recommend it as an insomnia cure. The author continually reiterates everything to the point that the reader wants to scream "We know already, we know already!"

I bought this for 50 cents at a sale at our public library and normally I would just give it back to them to resell. I am hesitant to do that this time, however, as I am loathe to subject another reader to this poor excuse for a mystery.

Man, I think this is the harshest review I have ever written....

[Vannessa Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Annie Darling, owner of Death on Demand Bookstore, and her husband Max Darling, private detective, live on Boward’s Island where the only excitement are the tourists, are asked to look into a murder by one of the islanders because she believed the wrong person had been accused of a murder. A beloved doctor and an artist wife are murdered; the artist is accused of the murder then, supposedly, commits suicide.

I am an avid fan of the Death on Demand series and have enjoyed every book I’ve read in the series including this one but it didn’t have the whip I’m accustomed to. Kate Reading did a fantastic job in storytelling.

[Valerie Tate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a few of the novels in the Death on Demand series. Generally, I enjoy them. The setting is attractive and intriguing and the characters are well depicted. I found the beginning of this one a little slow but it was an interesting premise and there were a lot of twists and turns along the way. While the climax was exciting, it was a little predictable. Overall, a good read.