What do you think?
Rate this book
Jenny Cain #2
Say No to Murder
Jenny Cain was thrilled about the Liberty Harbor Restoration, a picturesque collection of shops, museums and restaurants. But when a runaway truck barreled into the project committee, it seemed someone in Port Frederick was out to sink Liberty Harbor. Then a wooden cross raised in unholy wrath made the message clear. Murderously clear.
As director of the town's Civic Foundation, Jenny should have been glad when police detective Geof Bushfield reeled in a prime suspect. Unfortunately, it was the one person she was desperate to prove innocent. Fishing for a ruthless killer, she had to bait her trap fast - before the cold New England waters closed in over her own head!
223 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1985
7 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Pickard
102 books351 followersNancy Pickard is an American crime novelist. She received a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri and began writing at age 35.
She has won five Macavity Awards, four Agatha Awards, an Anthony Award, and a Shamus Award. She is the only author to win all four awards. Her novel The Virgin of Small Plains, published in 2007, won an Agatha Award. She also served on the board of directors of the Mystery Writers of America.
She has won five Macavity Awards, four Agatha Awards, an Anthony Award, and a Shamus Award. She is the only author to win all four awards. Her novel The Virgin of Small Plains, published in 2007, won an Agatha Award. She also served on the board of directors of the Mystery Writers of America.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 20, 2009
The Jenny Cain Mysteries, set in New England, have a strong heroine, a good feel for the area, and some intriguing puzzles.
Jenny is a very well drawn character. Especially after you read more than one of the series--I've read them all---you feel you know her. You find yourself rooting for her success as she works to untangle each mystery.
This book is basically, a light easy read---not incredible but a solid three stars and a pleasant series to spend a few afternoons reading. No earthshaking writing--but no poor writing either--a competent job of storytelling.
As noted above, this book won the Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original; and it is one of the best of the series.
Jenny is a very well drawn character. Especially after you read more than one of the series--I've read them all---you feel you know her. You find yourself rooting for her success as she works to untangle each mystery.
This book is basically, a light easy read---not incredible but a solid three stars and a pleasant series to spend a few afternoons reading. No earthshaking writing--but no poor writing either--a competent job of storytelling.
As noted above, this book won the Anthony Award for Best Paperback Original; and it is one of the best of the series.
October 5, 2017
Half way through and I figured it out. Oh well, that's the risk of reading so many cozies.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2017/comm...
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2017/comm...
July 12, 2009
Tempers flare and bodies fall around a controversial development project in a small New England town. As leader of the citizens' group trying to bring the project to completion, Jenny must work overtime.
May 31, 2016
The second in the Jenny Cain series, written and set in the 80s.
A relaxing cozy with the usual romance, and some silliness, Nancy Pickard's prose and characters are richer and more compelling than many a cozy series.
A relaxing cozy with the usual romance, and some silliness, Nancy Pickard's prose and characters are richer and more compelling than many a cozy series.
December 30, 2016
This was an okay book. I think I enjoyed the story about Jenny and her relationships with her dad and Geof more than the actual mystery. I still don't get quite why the murderer did what he/she did, but it made for a good, short read.
What happened: bad turns to worst as Jenny and her fellow patrons of Poor Fred are building a new mall on an old harbor. First, a man appears to kill himself by driving off the pier, then the architect's shed is ruined in a fire. Then, a man shows up claiming to be an heir to the man who used to own the old harbor, but then he's killed behind a locked door. Jenny's dad appears in town, to the dismay of many of its citizens, and is a good suspect for all the shenanigans.
What happened: bad turns to worst as Jenny and her fellow patrons of Poor Fred are building a new mall on an old harbor. First, a man appears to kill himself by driving off the pier, then the architect's shed is ruined in a fire. Then, a man shows up claiming to be an heir to the man who used to own the old harbor, but then he's killed behind a locked door. Jenny's dad appears in town, to the dismay of many of its citizens, and is a good suspect for all the shenanigans.
dnf
July 16, 2019DNFing this book. It is very old fashioned and has some humor that I can’t get past (read: sexist).
August 3, 2022
I find this series pretty light and entertaining.
Read
September 11, 2022Implausible.
April 17, 2024
I liked this story. Couldn't wait to find out who done it! Jenny was a fun heroine.
February 13, 2017
The renovation of Liberty Harbor in the small New England town in which Jenny Cain lives promises to be a major plus for everyone in the community. It means jobs for a stalled economy, more tourism, and of course, a renovated harbor that won't be a communal blight any longer.
So there's reason to celebrate, and that's what the renovation committee is doing as the book opens. They're all there together, taking pictures, congratulating one another on the important work that is about to begin. That's all well and good until someone drives a truck through the committee members and into the harbor. Miraculously enough, the driver is the only one killed, but more bodies pile up as the book progresses, and ultimately, Jenny's life is endangered as she races against time and a growing sentiment of anger among the townspeople to save her estranged father from being wrongfully charged for the killings.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I have all of the books in the series I've read so far. I still don't quite get why the independent, capable Jenny Cain needs the trope cop boyfriend to rescue her when things get ugly. But so it is, and that's not an entire deal breaker where the book is concerned. You'll buzz through this pretty quickly, and the mysteries are relatively cozy, so there's little to no profanity, and while it is frankly acknowledged that Jenny and her cop boyfriend are doing an unrestrained job of heating the sheets, you're spared lengthy descriptions of their sexual activities.
In short, this won't be the kind of book you'll dog-ear or otherwise annotate, but it will be a nice afternoon diversion that both satisfies and allows you to move on to your next book.
So there's reason to celebrate, and that's what the renovation committee is doing as the book opens. They're all there together, taking pictures, congratulating one another on the important work that is about to begin. That's all well and good until someone drives a truck through the committee members and into the harbor. Miraculously enough, the driver is the only one killed, but more bodies pile up as the book progresses, and ultimately, Jenny's life is endangered as she races against time and a growing sentiment of anger among the townspeople to save her estranged father from being wrongfully charged for the killings.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I have all of the books in the series I've read so far. I still don't quite get why the independent, capable Jenny Cain needs the trope cop boyfriend to rescue her when things get ugly. But so it is, and that's not an entire deal breaker where the book is concerned. You'll buzz through this pretty quickly, and the mysteries are relatively cozy, so there's little to no profanity, and while it is frankly acknowledged that Jenny and her cop boyfriend are doing an unrestrained job of heating the sheets, you're spared lengthy descriptions of their sexual activities.
In short, this won't be the kind of book you'll dog-ear or otherwise annotate, but it will be a nice afternoon diversion that both satisfies and allows you to move on to your next book.
July 19, 2011
light read, hard to warm up to main character, race as red herring
June 11, 2011
One of the few books I couldn't finish.
October 7, 2011
I love Jenny Cain, but this plot got a little too complicated for me. Too many characters as possible murders made it a bit confusing to follow. But she always saves the day.
June 20, 2012
Really enjoying this series. Must find more...
November 23, 2012
Lots of mystery and suspense! Kept you guessing till the end! Just had a hard time staying interested in the story I guess!
January 12, 2014
I found this to be a bit too predictiable and it sure lacked suspense.
June 20, 2019
2.5 stars--Started slow, got better. Second book in the Jenny Cain series.
July 29, 2015
Really enjoying this series. Good complicated mysteries. Enjoyable characters and locale.
Want to read
January 13, 2019Synopsis: Jenny was thrilled about the Liberty Harbor Restoration, but then a runaway truck barreled into the project committee. Deliberate?
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews