Bleeding Hearts

Gregor Demarkian #11

by Jane Haddam

It's February on Cavanaugh Street, Philadelphia, and the longtime residents are beginning to act downright moonstruck. Valentine's Day is coming, and Cupid has aimed his arrows at the most unlikely targets. Bestselling fantasy author Bennis Hannaford spots the first direct hit of the season, and she can barely believe her eyes. Stout, comfortable, and long-widowed Hannah Krekorian is bringing home a man. And her tall, silver-haired swain is none other than the best-loved psychology guru of the decade, Paul Hazzard, who coincidentally was once suspected of murdering his wife. Bennis, of course, shares the gossip and the nagging worry taking shape in her fertile mind with her neighbor and best friend, former FBI agent Gregor Demarkian. And Gregor soon uncovers news of his own: The case of who stabbed Jacqueline Hazzard to death four years before is still open and about to hit the tabloids again. Paul Hazzard's former mistress, the elegant Candida DeWitt, has decided to write her tell-all memoirs. The question is: Will she reveal whodunnit to her lover's wife? Or will the murderer decide to do a little book-editing first...in the form of another killing? While someone may be planning a murder, the yen for roses and romance is definitely blooming in a May-December affair between Bennis's brother and an older woman that has all Cavanaugh Street buzzing. But a corpse is in the offing, and the discovery of a body may spoil the mood at the soiree Hannah is giving to introduce her new sweetheart to all the old cronies, eccentric characters, and nosy ladies of the neighborhood. Especially when the body has been stabbed just like poor Mrs. Paul Hazzard's. In Hannah's bedroom. With the murder weapon in grandmotherly Hannah's hand. Nearly sure (at least 90 percent positive) that Hannah is innocent, Bennis and Gregor quickly list their other possible suspects, who include many of Paul's nearest and dearest. The trouble is that Eros is a classic motive for irrational acts of

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Cozy Mystery, Detective

311 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Aka 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.

Reviews

[Sheila Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite mystery series. The stories are excellent, and I love the vividly portrayed characters who live on Cavanaugh Street in Philadelphia: Gregor Demarkian, Bennis Hannaford, Father Tibor Kasparian, and all the others. Bleeding Hearts, set in February, is one that goes on my favorites shelf.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bleeding Hearts (Gregor Demarkian, #11) by Jane Haddam.

It's so unusual how one series, one character, one setting can become such a focal point in a readers' life. That's just what has happened with this marvelous Demarkian series. No matter what other book I'm currently reading I always have a Demarkian book nearby and on my mind. How soon can I get back to Demarkian and Bennis and onto Cavanaugh Street? File this one under "my favorites".

Valentine's Day is little more than a week away and decorations galore are showing up everywhere in the Armenian community. Paul Hazzard, a once-thriving psychologist for addicts, has his attention centered on Hannah. Hannah Krekorian is a middle-aged widow and grandmother. She was never much to look at as far as attractiveness was concerned, but she was well provided for money-wise.
Paul Hazzard had been on trial several years ago for the murder of his wife. He was found not guilty and left that experience behind him. the one or shall I say three objects he could never leave far behind himself are his children by his first marriage. James, Alyssa, and Carolyn seem to take center stage with or without his permission.
The blending of these characters without becoming overwhelming is one of the many traits Jane Haddam has in her series. Each one is detailed with past and present along with their own developing relationships. I just can't say enough good things about this gifted author and this wonderful series. 5 stars.

[Carl Brookins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane Haddam has written a lot of excellent novels. "Not a Creature was Stirring" was the first Gregor Demarkian novel. If you haven't read it, seek it out. Most of her books revolve around holidays and most of them are set in a certain neighborhood of Philadelphia, PA. Down the middle of the neighborhood runs Cavanaugh Street.

Demarkian, a retired FBI agent, lives in an apartment on Cavanaugh Street. Several other people whose names end in -ian- live nearby. There are lots of characters in Haddam's books so you have to pay close attention. But that's good, because these delightful novels in which Haddam writes with such care and affection about this mostly Armenian-American enclave will amply reward the reader. You get a cracking good murder mystery in the bargain, along with crisp writing about vivid entertaining characters and bouncing action.

As one might expect, Bleeding Hearts is set in February, which can be a miserable month in Philadelphia, weather-wise, right around Saint Valentine's Day. What happens at the party thrown by Hannah Kerkorian, however, is anything but saintly. Her new love--and understand that Hannah is no spring chicken--is Paul Hazzard. The year before Hazzard was a suspect accused of murdering his wife. That crime is still unsolved. On the eve of the party, the neighborhood is all a-twitter because Paul's ex-mistress is rumored to be writing a tell-all book which might reveal something about the murder of Paul's dead wife. So, who shows up at the party with a legitimate invitation? None other than the ex-mistress. So they're all there when Paul gets bumped off. Who invited her and why are integral to this intriguing mystery.

It's enough to drive Father Kasparian, Gregor Demarkian, Lida Arkmanian, and old George Tekemanian over the edge! In the end, of course, Gregor sorts it all out for the Philadelphia police and for the neighborhood, solving two murders in the bargain.
This is a very entertaining and satisfying crime novel.

[Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, who could it be? There are plenty of suspects. How in the world did hu get away with it?

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love Gregor Demarkian. I loved hims years ago, but got distracted and diverted and have only recently come back to him, again. I can see and understand how many may not like this character; but for me, he speaks to something in my personality that makes me relate and embrace him. He can be cold, in a way; too logical; even impatient at times. Yet, I like him very much.

The novels are well written and I do not find the evolution of the stories easy to figure out or predictable. However, I have never been one to compete myself against the author or the lead character. I read mysteries because they represent a complete story to me = a beginning, a middle and and end. I just love that on the whole, they resolve themselves in the end. And Haddam's books, and Gregor Demarkian in particular resolve themselves in a satisfying way.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part of what I love about these books is the way the secondary characters are such a wonderful background for the stories. Sometimes they step forward, in this case Lida and Hannah, but always they seem very alive and real and interesting. Of course, I also love Gregor Demarkian and his way of quietly moving about solving the unsolvable. In this one, I was unsure of 'whodunnit' until the very end, which is quite satisfying when you don't feel cheated by the author. There were plenty of clues.
In a way, this series grabs me like Louise Penny's Three Pines mysteries with Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. They don't feel interchangeable, but there's something about both of them, perhaps the idea of a village, that makes me want to return again and again.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth reading.

There are so many little mistakes. Didn't she have an editor? Time doesn't seem right. But I like this series in general.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent entry in the series with hints of pleasant changes for a couple of the minor characters.

[Calista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me guessing.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story line but I found that the character names were confusing and had a hard time keeping track of who was who. Figuring out who killed the wife and then the husband and then the mistress was interesting.

[Lizzytish · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. I still like Gregor. Characters are still the same. The mystery was ok. I figured it out along with the weapon. I’m happy for Donna. What was that with Christopher and Lida? It was obnoxious and had nothing to do with the mystery.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This the first book in many weeks that I've stuck to & read all the way through!

[Ricki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bleeding Hearts is a book in Jane Haddam's Gregor Demarkian Holiday mysters. Valentine's Day is almost upon the city of Philadelphia, and Donna Moradanyan is doin her best to decorate Cavanagh street, even though her heart really isn't in it. Hannah Krekorian has found a new beau...one who has been previously accused of murdering his wife! When Hannah has an impromptu party to introduce Paul to her friends on Cavanaugh Street, the last thing she expects is for his former mistress to show up...and then Paul to be murdered in her bedroom!

I love this series...Jane Haddam is a master of the who-done-it! If you like mysteries...this series is a must read!

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2* Saw this author/series discussed in mystery group and it sounded pretty good. This is book # 10 in the Gregor Demarkian Holiday Mystery series. I wanted to start the series at the beginning but this was the first one that our library could get. Gregor, a former FBI agent and widower, lives on Cavanaugh Street (Philadelphia) which has a closely knit neighborhood with an ethnic flavor that provides many colorful characters. He finds himself trying to find a killer before he strikes again and is hoping it's not a neighbor. Occasionally I felt the author got a little wordy, but I still really liked this story and now want to find another one in the series to read.

[Kyrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I figured the weapon and murderer out fairly early. Yes, I felt a bit like I was playing Clue. This story wasn't so interesting for the mystery as it was for making references to future relationships on Cavanaugh Street.

[Margery · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the first I've read in the series, so I don't know how typical it is. I enjoyed it and am interested enough in the characters to read more in the series. The solution to the murder was fairly obvious, but not so easy that I wanted to scream in exasperation!

[Fran Calloway · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and I will say this book kept me guessing who the murderer was until the very end, unlike most mysteries where you can guess right off. However, the revelation of the murderer was rather anti-climatic and disappointing.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light mystery, easy read, and entertaining. Keeps you guessing.
Not the heavy bloody type,
Well written,

[Roussie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Friends recommended this writer to me. I wish I had liked this book more. I'll try another title because I trust my friends.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

co-dependency ad absurdum

[Janette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a crazy murder mystery....couldn't keep the characters straight and had to keep rereading. But I liked it in a off sort of way.

[Bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun installment in the Gregor Demarkian series.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty good. Donna gets tiresome, but otherwise, interesting characters, comments and tangles.

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always fun to spend some time with Gregor Demarkian's Armenian community.

[megs_bookrack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exactly why I love this series. A straight forward murder mystery in the same vein as Agatha Christie. A guilty pleasure but oh, so fun!

[M. White · Rating 4 out of 5]

well written, as interesting for the 'community relations' as for the mystery

[Tienem · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, I'm pretty surprised by these positive reviews. I found this on a free library shelf and figured "what the heck, I'll give it a go!" I won't say I regret it, but woof...

The constant clumsy phrasing alone rates this books as a 1 for me, but the flat characters who drown you in exposition and the lack of any actual mystery seals it. There are so many extraneous characters that add nothing to the plot, yet they get entire chapters from their point-of-view. You can still world build with however many characters you want, but it would have been better to have fewer POV's and let them reveal their motivations organically rather than quickly having to telling me who they are because you only get so many pages.

If you just want a quick read, I guess this will work for you, but if you are looking for a poetic, complex or even just well-written mystery novel, this isn't it.