Mourning In Miniature

Miniature Mystery #4

by Margaret Grace, Camille Minichino

Miniaturist Gerry Porter has been looking forward to her thirtieth high school reunion. But when a former athlete is murdered, Gerry must employ all her skills to reconstruct the scene of the crime.

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Cozy, Fiction

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Margaret Grace is also known as Ada Madison and Camille Minichino.

Reviews

[L.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy this series. There's something very innocent about it, which makes it heartwarming. It's nice to read about a grandmother and granddaughter spending time together and doing fun things together. In reality it would be a crazy situation but this is a sweet alternate reality where there's no real danger. The introduction of the character of Henry, at the time when Gerry's sister-in-law Beverly has become tied up with her new beau, was perfect. He seems very sweet and their shared interests give me great hope for their future.

[Mesmerizing Mehnaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminds me of a contemporary adaptation of Miss Marple. Now I want to read the whole series.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the mystery but the main character is written as REALLY REALLY old for 59, it was starting to annoy me.

[Penny McGill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy good cozy. Retired teacher turned sleuth (so much possibility here) who isn't afraid to use her teacher voice to get witnesses, suspects, and police officers to answer her questions! Fantastic. She has a wonderful memory, a great sense of patience and uses it all to pull together the pieces in this murder that occurs at her own high school reunion. I don't usually enjoy hopping into the middle of a series because there is way too much reference to events that have happened in books of the past but Margaret Grace has written a very tidy book here that stands alone with no trouble.

The sweet little hobby of making miniature houses and rooms is a nice offset to the brutal murder and our heroine also has a tween granddaughter staying with her for a month so this is a very light-hearted book. I was very fond of this main character right away, felt strongly about her, but was a little less fond of her friends and neighbours. Maybe a return to earlier books will give me a better sense of what her circle of friends is like. In all it was a great weekend book. It takes place in San Francisco so there are delights to be thought about while you help her track down the killer and a tiny smidgen of sensible romance on the horizon. I'm off to track down the first in this series and the others written by the same author. This book was a very nice find, in a return pile by a frequent patron @ the biblio this week. Can't wait to talk about it when she is back in next week.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a book in this series. The story revolves around Gerry, a retired grandmother who is watching her 11 year old grandaughter for the summer. They go to San Francisco for the weekend with one of Gerry's former students, for a high school reunion. Gerry's friend (who was a bit of a nerd in high school) has started receiving romantic presents from the most popular guy in school (who had spurned her many years ago). When the football star turns up dead during the reunion, Gerry must do what she can to clear her friend's name. I really liked this book- especially the grandma/grandaughter relationship and the cute crafting tips. I'll be looking for more in this series!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Retired teacher and miniaturist Gerry Porter agrees to go to a high school reunion, to provide support for her friend, bookstore owner Rosie. A series of gifts have convinced Rosie that her high school crush, popular David Bridges, is ready to form a relationship with her, thirty years after their graduation. When Rosie finds David with another woman, she is crushed. And when David is murdered, Rosie is a leading suspect. Gerry is sure that she's innocent, and determined to find a way to clear Rosie's name.

[melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. This is one I tried really hard to finish. I really wanted to like it. But then I figured out I was more into the craft then the mystery, so I was done. I did like the snoopy grandma angle. And enjoyed her interactions with her granddaughter and nephew. Didn’t really buy her relationships with friends, and how those affected her decisions. But maybe if I started earlier in the series it would have made sense. I think the biggest plus/ minus of this book for me, would be yet another new hobby.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still enjoying this series. This time Gerrie, granddaughter Maddie and nephew Skip are trying to find out who killed the football star (of 30 years ago), and why. One of the "stars" classmates is the main suspect and she is also part of Gerrie's miniature group and a good friend.

There are plenty of twists and turns and suspects in this one. Lots of fun following the trails that Gerrie is following in her head while trying to keep Skip guessing and Maddie safe.

I'll still be reading this series.

[Lindig · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, what to say. It's not terrible, the plot is reasonably interesting, but the characters are cardboard mostly, the dialogue is pedestrian, and there's very little humor. And, says this Southerner, there's an early use of "y'all" as a singular; this is wrong -- it's plural (after all, it's a contracted "you all"). Even when addressed to one person, there is an implied other.

I was interested in the hobby of creating miniature rooms but never quite understood why anyone does it. There were so many hobbies and interests going on in this book that focus kept getting scattered.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was OK and the characters were OK, I guess I was just not in the mood for a story like this. It was based around a 30 year high school reunion with all the angst that stirs up. When the high school star athlete is murdered and one of the class mates is framed. So Gerry Porter a retired English teacher needs to help her nephew the detective solve the murder. Her hobby, other than solving crimes, is making rooms in miniature so that plays a lot into the story too. At least there was no language.

[Alma Gravel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun series for people who enjoy miniature anything - mainly dollhouses or miniture rooms (they have always fascinated me - I will stand in line for hours at the Philly Flower Show to see the minitaure room entries) - the mysteries are fairly predictable but I have enjoyed the characters -

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical of the mysteries these days that have a theme like cooking or, in this case, miniatures. Easy read, not bad but not stellar either. A light enjoyable read

[Briansmom · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book I've read in this series. Throughly enjoyable. I want Gerry's recipe for ginger cookies!!!

[Diana Bringardner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty much as expected, likeable characters, no surprises.

[ChrisGA · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good cozy--great characters and storyline

[Christine Verstraete · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love her miniatures series. The stories are fun, the background is a bonus, of course! Fun, light and light-hearted series.

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable. I liked having the narrator's perceptive 11 year old hacker granddaughter as her companion instead of the standard colorful friend/sister/cousin.

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

page turner, I couldn't put it down. Gerry is a spunky sleuth.

[Peggi Warner-Lalonde · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read and an interesting view into the world of miniatures.