Homicide by Hamlet

Chubby Chicks Club #3

by Lois Lavrisa

Annie Mae has one last job to do before she retires from a thirty-year career in academia: one week of summer theater camp. A camp she has worked at for so many years she could do it with her eyes closed. Easy peasy. Until a team leader is murdered and all hell breaks loose as everyone is a suspect and everyone has a secret. Will she find out the truth before she becomes the killer’s next victim? Or will death be her swan song?

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy

182 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 12, 2016

About the author

Lois Lavrisa, recognized as a finalist in the 2013 Eric Hoffer Award, writes Mystery with a Twist. Her first mystery LIQUID LIES was an Amazon top 100 bestseller. Her new cozy mystery series, THE CHUBBY CHICKS CLUB is about sassy southern sleuths, set in Savannah, Georgia. DYING FOR DINNER ROLLS, book #1, became an Amazon Kindle top 100 bestseller, and was a 2104 Georgia Author of the year Fiction novel nominee. DYING FOR DINNER ROLLS was awarded a silver medal in the 2014 Readers' Favorite award. Book #2 MURDEROUS MUFFINS, a 2015 Georgia Author of the Year nominee and a 2015 Readers' Favorite Finalist. HOMICIDE BY HAMLET, book #3 a Readers' Favorite and nominee for Georgia Author of the Year. The final two books in the series, KILLING WITH KINGS book #4 and PUZZLED BY PURPLE book #5 will be released in 2017 and 2018.

Growing up on the south-side of Chicago provided her with an abundance of story ideas. Earning her Master and Bachelor of Science in journalism and Communication with minor in Public Relations-provided ample opportunity to get a ton of writing experience. After college she wrote training programs for a Fortune 500 Company and taught many years as an adjunct professor. Her 15 minutes of "fame" came when she was Professional cheerleader for the NBA Chicago Bulls. She's been married to her aerospace husband Tom for over 25 years and they have four children- two sons and two daughters (and two cats who think they are her kids.) While juggling her packed schedule, she often daydreams about escaping to the beach with a glass (or two or three) of Riesling, a great book, fantastic friends, and loads of laughter.


Connect to her at her Website: www.loislavrisa.com. Facebook: Author, Lois Lavrisa or Twitter: @loislavrisa.

She's been married to her aerospace husband Tom for over 22 years and they have four children- two boys and two girls. She's a member of several writing organizations including: Mystery Writers of America (MWA), Romance Writers of America (RWA) and Sisters in Crime (SIC). She served as vice president of the Low Country RWA (LRWA). For the past several years she's been a member of the Savannah Pen & Ink writers group. She's written for a local newspaper, a magazine and newsletters. Additionally, Lois has worked as an adjunct instructor at several universities as well as a technical writer.

You can connect with her at www.liquidlies.com or www.loislavrisa.com or on twitter @loislavrisa.

Reviews

[bex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Low 3. Mostly decent but some things off, like why not call cops when one person is believed to be attacked. Or why sleuth was so stupid as to hide so much info from cops....

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Homicide by Hamlet is the third book in the Chubby Chicks Club Cozy Mystery series written by Lois Lavrisa. At a camp for young thespians, Dr. Annie Mae Maple is leading one of six groups into a competition where Hamlet must be performed in their own unique fashion. With spiteful and toxic bully, Priscilla Woodham, leading another group, it takes all of Annie Mae’s strength not to slap the woman every time a barbed word comes from her mouth. Priscilla does not have a single friend at the camp, having found a way to insult and scathe every leader and student, including her own personal assistant, and when Priscilla winds up dead, the suspect pool is huge. As unsurprising tales of blackmail, bribery and insidiously evil behavior unfold, evidence first piles up against Annie Mae’s dear friend, Bezu (former girlfriend of Priscilla’s fiancé), before suspicion shifts to Gerald Gill (a man who has been trying to woo Annie Mae), but there is one more suspect that seems to have been overlooked who is neither camp leader nor student. With Annie Mae fast closing in, it is not long before the killer decides that life is better with her out of the picture as well.

From the very first page, I was hooked on this murder-mystery with a twist. Each of the characters were so rounded and well written that I was able to easily relate to and identify with them, with the exception of the narcissistic camp bully who, although was well written, was supremely toxic. Even with the vital detective work going on throughout most of the book, Lois Lavrisa successfully continued the normal camping story-line in the background, giving the story a more realistic feel. With almost everybody having a means, motive and opportunity to kill the not-so-dearly departed, the plot thickens more and more with each turn of the page. I very much enjoyed Homicide by Hamlet and intend to seek out the other books in the Chubby Chicks Club Cozy Mystery series. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to readers over 15 years of age who enjoy action, drama and a hefty dose of intrigue and justice served up with their murder-mystery novels.

- Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

[Karen B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good cozy mystery. Annie Mae is a retiring college professor who is finishing her school year as a team leader in a Summer Camp Theater group. One of the other team leaders is murdered and Annie Mae is determined to identify the killer. Each suspect has motive, means and opportunity. There are red herrings thrown in to make it more interesting and the identity of the killer is a surprise (at least for me me it was). I thoroughly enjoyed Annie's character as the drama coach who was there for her students while trying to solve a murder. She displayed genuine concern for her students and all the characters involved.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alas Poor Yorick--the dude just doesn't get a break. In this case his noggin is used as a murder weapon. The question is: just who wielded that deadly skull? Annie Mae has her hands full trying to find out while simultaneously coaching a team during a Summer Theater Camp and furthering her relationship with Gerald. With a little help from Bezu and José, there are plenty of twists and turn before the truth is discovered in this third book in the Chubby Chicks Cozy Mystery series. This is a fun as well as quick read, and well worth the time.

[Julie Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this series. There are four books and each book is centred around one of a group of four friends as they get catch up in a murder investigation. So even though you know the characters it is like meeting different characters each time (especaily as each narrator is different too) and they each face very different cases with the help of one of the other members. They are a great group of friends and I love listening about them and can't wait to see what the author has in store for the remaining character and to find out if Cats dad's murder ever gets solved. You don't need to have listened to these books in order to enjoy but for a change I have and think any order is good just as long as you listen to them all. The mystery was good and I certainly did not see the end coming, so it was a big surprise when the killer was revealed. I don't think this book was quiet as funny as the others mainly because the two characters seem more grown up and respectable than the character of Cat, who doesn't think twice about climbing into dumpsters but it is still a good listen. Off to start the next book.
This is the last summer theatre camp for Annie Mae before she retires her academic career. The only problem is the drama won't stay on the stage. First her friend, Bezu's ex fiance is on the committee and has got engaged to one of the leaders and she has to brace her friend to see a lot more of him than either of them would like. Then one of the leaders tries to knock Annie Mae of her pedestal by claiming she is getting favours from one of the judges and her group of students is getting the benefit of that by having the best rehearsal space, never mind that they deserved it. The two of them had never been friends but that doesn't mean she would want her dead. Everybody knew where and when she was going to be back stage because Annie Mae set the time and place but who killed her? The suspect list is long because the dead woman liked to get her own way even if it meant a spot of blackmailing but who ever did kill her seems to be trying to frame Annie Mae and her friends. Bezu's car is used in a near hit and run, Gerald's food wrapper is found at the crime scene and even Annie Mae's own innocence is called into question after a fight. Can Annie Mae find the killer and is it connected to something in her past? Or will it be time for the final curtain call because as they say In show business the show must go on.
I liked the narrator she was quiet slow at speaking but did put a lot of drama in to her voice.

[Melinda Berrios · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok read

Felt like I figured out the culprit from the beginning. The writing felt elementary. It was an ok read of you had nothing else around, but for me, will not be my go to author.

[L.S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Annie Mae is about to retire, but she has one last role to fulfil: to steer a group of drama students to success in competition in which they perform a rendition of Hamlet (from rap to ballet and everything in between)
However, when one of her colleagues is found dead, Annie Mae cannot resist pulling on her sleuthing persona to find the killer. There are suspects aplenty, and each suspect has motive, means and opportunity. Add in a dash of red herrings, and the dash to find the murderer begins.
For me, the characters were not as dynamic in this audiobook version than in book one of the series. Nonetheless a fun mystery with quirky and memorable characters whose decisions are not always the most obvious.

[Nina Braden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Low 2, closer to 1.5. Do not plan to read more by this author.

[Jennifer Nash · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a quick easy read. The characters were likeable, but there were significant timing issues. The author needs a good proof reader.

[Krystyna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Camp fodder

Another run of the mill cozy mystery.
Brilliant for when you are unwell and just need something. Nothing to make you think. Can she beat the killer before she dies?

[Wayne Inkster · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and light read with several twists and turns

[Ellen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, easy to listen to and try to figure out who was the killer. Given audio for my voluntary review review and my honest opinion

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this author is getting better with every book in this series. I checked out this book from my library as an ebook and I enjoyed it! It was an easy read, which is just what I needed.

[Lis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love this series. Quick, cozy mysteries that just warm the soul.

[Missi Martin (Stockwell) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie Mae loves the students and her job but it is time for her to retire and start the next chapter of her live. And she will do that right after she leads a team of drama students in a week long summer theatre camp competition. Her team has a winning streak that she would like to retire with, however, Priscilla Woodham, is also a team leader and the two of them do not get along !! The first day Priscilla starts trouble questioning Annie Mae's "relationship" with one of the judges Professor Gill. All Annie Mae wants to do is get through the week without any trouble. Unfortunately nothing is that easy. They find out that Bezu's ex-fiance, Dwight, is marrying Priscilla, Priscilla is found dead the evening of the first day, Professor Gill left a dinner party early and there is something about Priscilla's assistant that Annie Mae can't put her finger on. Even though the police are hot on the case, Annie Mae and Bezu feel it is up to them to solve the case. After all Annie Mae needs to know if her "friend" is innocent before she develops feelings for him.

[Dora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Homicide by Hamlet

Professor Annie Mae Maples is one of the directors for a student competition of Hamlet with a twist. This competition is a bittersweet time for her since she will be retiring at the end of the competition. One of her colleagues, the snarky, poisonous Professor Priscilla Woodson is murdered early in the week of the competition leaving many suspects: Annie Mae, Bezu (Annie's best friend), Gerald (Annie's man friend), Winona (Priscilla's assistant), and Dwight (Priscilla's much younger fiancé.

I enjoyed this cozy mystery. It had enough twists and turns to keep me happy. I think that others who enjoy cozy mysteries might like this series as well.

[Nancy]

Annie Mae has one last job to do before she retires from a thirty-year career in academia: one week of summer theater camp. A camp she has worked at for so many years she could do it with her eyes closed. Easy peasy. Until a team leader is murdered and all hell breaks loose as everyone is a suspect and everyone has a secret. Will she find out the truth before she becomes the killer’s next victim? Or will death be her swan song?

Annie Mae's boyfriend, GG, is the killer.

Skimmed book - won't read any more.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

This seemed like a beginners novel to me, with unlikely dialogue and unbelievable characters. The murder victim is so rude and obnoxious that it defies reality, yet the main character frequently wonders out loud why anyone would want to kill her. I found myself rolling my eyes and rushing through much of it just to get to the ending.

The actual plot was well done for a cozy mystery but I think if the author works on character development and dialogue, her story would be much more professional.

[Cissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, light mystery, focusing more on characters and their interactions than on derring-do. And it's fun to see women of a certain age as sleuths!

Also, unlike several of the "cozies" I've read recently, the women are NOT doormats. Yay!

The mystery was good, with several intriguing twists and some red herrings.

I just wish there had been more than hints of the various alt Hamlets, especially the rap one and the Swan Lake one!

[Mary Byrnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun quick read

I am enjoying these stories very much. They do seem a bit short to be called a book series. Although I don't know what distinguishes a book from a novella or a short story from a book. I started reading on Thursday and have already finished the third book this noon time (Saturday)

[Natalie Bachiri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Annie Mae is a great character; friendly and retiring from her passionate career. Whatever will she so do? Well, it's decided for her. She must find out who murdered the not-so-popular fellow theatre teacher while trying to keep the summer theater students, her friends and possible love interests out of the mess. I can't wait to read the next book.

[Anne Turnley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mature woman as heroine! Plus she is intelligent.

The heroine is an about to retire college professor who is advising a group putting on Hamlet. She becomes involved in investigating the murder of another advisor. Lots of fun.

[Janet Wild · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theatre with a twist

An enjoyable who done it with a nice big of Shakespeare thrown in. The idea of a ballet, Star wars versions of Hamlet stirred the imagination. Throw in some romance and a murder of two and you have a really good story to two read

[sherryn brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow,A Great Book

Fast moving, lots of fun to read and easy to get into the story. Looking forward to reading more books soon.

[Stacy Goodworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little slow, and I had the bad guy figured out pretty quickly, but it was fun.

[CHERYL YEAGER · Rating 4 out of 5]

Drama

Was very well written. Had me guessing the whole time. The characters were well thought out. Could picture how each character would look like.

[Lauretta Farrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Confusing beginning, before the various character's lives were skillfully woven together. Interesting take on how one single choice can influence so many lives. Well written, intriguing story.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, short story. This is the first book I read by this author and I will likely check out her other cozy mystery books.

[Mary E · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining light read. There were a few twists and turns I didn't expect but for the most part it was a comfortable, somewhat engaging, read.