Add One Dead Critic

Journals of Kate Cavanaugh #1

by Cathie John

Book by John, Cathie, Celestri, John

Genres: Mystery

249 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1997

About the author

Cathie John is the husband and wife writing team of John Celestri and Cathie Celestri.

Together they have written five novels. Their latest, In the Name of the Father, is the second in an historical crime fiction series set in 1940s Newport, Kentucky.

John, a native of Brooklyn, NY, has been a cartoon animator for the past 38 years. Cathie is originally from Toronto, Canada, where she studied music and worked in advertising.

Reviews

[Frances Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty good story with some humor, but my goodness, the editing is terrible, which really detracted from my enjoyment. The punctuation was faulty (many periods and commas outside instead of inside the quotation marks). Word use was incorrect in many instances - use of the word “breaks” to mean “brakes,” use of “peak” to mean “peek.” I really wanted to love this book because I’m originally from Cincinnati. I own a copy of the other two books in the series and I still plan to read them. I really hope the next two are more polished. EDITING AND PROOFREADING MATTER.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this culinary mystery. Kate is not overly nosy as so many amateur detective seem to be be in books these days. Her investigation seems to come naturally, in the course of her preparing the funeral meal for her late friend, he aforementioned Dead Critic int he title. His will has stipulated that she prepare the meal, with foods of his choice and the meal and wake are to be in his home. So, Kate doesn't need to do something stupid, such as break into his home, since she has been given access to prepare for the meal.

Also, add in her kookie friend who has dropped in for an unexpected visit, and her society mother, and you have some interesting side characters to spice up the plot, a bit.

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

For most of the book, the writing was not very good. The standard that I measure all mysteries, is the Amelia Peabody Mysteries, by Elizabeth Peters. She is an excellent writer and that may not be fair to Cathie John, but authors should be held to high standards.

However, having said that, I do like the story overall--it was not a waste of my time. But if it weren't for the challenge task it fulfilled, it would have been unlikely that I would have finished it.

[grundoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I spent a good chunk of 4 years in southwestern Ohio, but never really got to know much about Cincinnati and thought this might make for a bit of a gap-filling diversion. Pleasant enough and I'll likely read the other two... though you know, just for once it'd be nice if a culinary mystery's protagonist was actually an underdog, scratching for reputation and a living - sympathetic though she may be, a catering heiress really pushes it.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Culinary mystery with a somewhat uneven pace. Lots of threads and past history woven around the murder of a rather unlikeable man.

[Tina M · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's always fun to read a book with local ties.