What do you think?
Rate this book
Lily Bard #3
Shakespeare's Christmas
Lily Bard heads home for the holidays. Lily heads to her hometown of Bartley for her estranged sister's Christmas Eve wedding. But there is something in the air besides holiday cheer—there's murder. And Lily must work fast to clean up the messy case before her sister promises to love, honor, and obey a killer.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1998
222 people are currently reading
5010 people want to read
About the author
Charlaine Harris
203 books37k followersCharlaine Harris has been a published writer for over forty years. Her first two books were standalones, followed by a long sabbatical when she was having children. Then she began the Aurora Teagarden book, mysteries featuring a short librarian (eventually adapted for Hallmark movies). The darker Lily Bard books came next, about a house cleaner with a dark past and considerable fighting skills.
Tired of abiding by the mystery rules, Harris wrote a novel about a telepathic barmaid that took at least two years to sell. When the book was published, it turned into a best seller, and DEAD UNTIL DARK and the subsequent Sookie books were adapted in Alan Ball's "True Blood" series. At the same time, Harris began the Harper Connelly books. Harper can find the bones of the dead and see their last minute.
When those two series wound to a close, the next three books were about a mysterious town in Texas, called Midnight.
A change in publisher and editor led to Harris's novels about a female gunslinger in an alternate America, Lizbeth Rose. The Gunnie Rose books concluded with the sixth novel.
She's thinking about what to write next.
Tired of abiding by the mystery rules, Harris wrote a novel about a telepathic barmaid that took at least two years to sell. When the book was published, it turned into a best seller, and DEAD UNTIL DARK and the subsequent Sookie books were adapted in Alan Ball's "True Blood" series. At the same time, Harris began the Harper Connelly books. Harper can find the bones of the dead and see their last minute.
When those two series wound to a close, the next three books were about a mysterious town in Texas, called Midnight.
A change in publisher and editor led to Harris's novels about a female gunslinger in an alternate America, Lizbeth Rose. The Gunnie Rose books concluded with the sixth novel.
She's thinking about what to write next.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 668 reviews
April 15, 2017
Overall, I would say this series fits into the "meh" category. They have disturbing and dark things happen in the crimes, but they seem to be brushed over a bit. The characters are mediocre, of course with all of the police and detectives being worse at investigating than Lily, the maid. And, the love story doesn't have very many feels.
It's like the books are trying to tackle big issues without being willing to get as dark as these issues would really take to be meaningful to the reader. There is a definite feeling of separation between the darkness and the reader.
It could be because the whole thing is narrated by Lily, who has lost touch with feeling much of anything since her victimization. That is understandable. But, I would rather read books that either stay away from things like rape, torture, child abuse, and racial hate-crimes than to read them in a way that glosses over them quickly.
It's like the books are trying to tackle big issues without being willing to get as dark as these issues would really take to be meaningful to the reader. There is a definite feeling of separation between the darkness and the reader.
It could be because the whole thing is narrated by Lily, who has lost touch with feeling much of anything since her victimization. That is understandable. But, I would rather read books that either stay away from things like rape, torture, child abuse, and racial hate-crimes than to read them in a way that glosses over them quickly.
November 28, 2022
Sometimes you don't get what you expect... you bite into what you think is a sugar cookie and find it's a jalapeno popper. I thought I'd kickoff the holiday season with a nice, cozy mystery Merry Christmas book, and met Lily Bard instead. She's a young woman who has been assaulted and left physically and mentally maimed. She goes home for her sister's wedding before Christmas, attempts to re-connect with her family, and encounters murder, child abuse, racial hate crime, and all manner of dark and disturbing things. Harris' portrayal of life and society in Southern small towns is spot-on, the characters are quite convincing, and her writing is clear and enjoyable. Her boyfriend is a private investigator and having him happen to be investigating a case that intersects closely with Lily's family is a bit too much of a coincidence, but that's my only minor quibble. There's no supernatural element, but the story is more horrific than anything Sookie Stackhouse ever dealt with. I don't read a lot of mysteries, but this is a series I'll continue with.
December 23, 2017
Warning this book has some terrible topics. There is child abduction, past rape and more awful stuff. And not much Christmas unless you include using decorations as weapons.
Since Charlaine Harris came out with this series years ago I had been circling around giving them a try. So since I’m using my ‘Christmas book read’ to sample a few different series, I thought I would try this one. Now I know to give it a pass. I didn’t like the heroine very much, but it may have been more because of the audio reader. Her voice was kinda flat and didn’t give Lily a lot of personality.
So basically, not my cup of tea, but I will probably try other books by this author. I liked her True Blood in the beginning...so there’s that. 🤷🏼♀️
Since Charlaine Harris came out with this series years ago I had been circling around giving them a try. So since I’m using my ‘Christmas book read’ to sample a few different series, I thought I would try this one. Now I know to give it a pass. I didn’t like the heroine very much, but it may have been more because of the audio reader. Her voice was kinda flat and didn’t give Lily a lot of personality.
So basically, not my cup of tea, but I will probably try other books by this author. I liked her True Blood in the beginning...so there’s that. 🤷🏼♀️
August 10, 2018
Lily Bard is a complex character and it seems like with each book you get to find out more about her. In this book, she returns to her hometown to attend her sister's wedding. While it was nice to see Lily's interactions with family members and friends, the mystery itself was pretty flimsy. Thankfully this was a quick read but even still it was hard to focus. Definitely not one of the author's best, but I will stick with the series because I do like the main character.
February 19, 2009
Normally, I do my homework, check and see if the book is part of a series, double-check to learn what type of book it is, do some research on the author, but I didn't do any of that for this book, and I won't make that mistake again. I had been given this book, I read the back, and I plowed right into it one day. I didn't even look for the author's name until I was finishing chapter 3, so imagine my surprise when I learned it was Sookie Stackhouse's Charlaine Harris. I'd read the entire Sookie series - in order - and I loved it.
The three things the Lily Bard series and the Sookie Stackhouse series have in common are really interesting main characters, well-written stories, and my determination to collect every book in the series.
Turns out, though, that this book is 3rd in the series (I started to get suspicious around that same chapter 3), so I'm already reading them out of order.
This book is way darker than the Sookie books, and it features so many characters that I was debating about making a list. But the main character is so fascinating that I have to read more.
The three things the Lily Bard series and the Sookie Stackhouse series have in common are really interesting main characters, well-written stories, and my determination to collect every book in the series.
Turns out, though, that this book is 3rd in the series (I started to get suspicious around that same chapter 3), so I'm already reading them out of order.
This book is way darker than the Sookie books, and it features so many characters that I was debating about making a list. But the main character is so fascinating that I have to read more.
January 27, 2016
I enjoyed how the author took Lily out of the small town of Shakespeare and back to her small hometown, the root of her pain and issues, the family members she felt so awkward around. Of course there is a mystery thrown in when she arrives, to be solved amidst family dramas and wedding plans, Jack popping into town to stir up her loins, and Lily again getting uptight and moody if anyone tries to act normal around her.
The parents and sister don't stand out too much, but they were enjoyable written. The father wasn't in many scenes but turned out to be my favorite. Jack and Lily's relationship, again, not sure about the insta-magic when he appeared last time, see it's still going strong. I was intrigued by the cop and the back-story of how he reacted to Lily tugged on my heartstrings.
These books aren't known for their intense mysteries, but this one holds the more intriguing, complex, and twisted one of the series. Involves kidnapping, child baby switching, potential murders that may have happened offpage a long time ago, and a gross, perverted revelation at the end. Dark stuff but a happy ending after all. This is likely the best mystery of the Lily Bard series, where Lily actually has to snoop a bit on purpose. She doesn't come to by a Hercule Poirot or anything, but it's an interesting story nonetheless.
This one was a better one as, besides the story being rich, the background with her adjusting to her family and hometown made it more lively. Her raised eyebrow at her sister about strength was a little annoying though. Lily has become a bit snobby with some of her preconceptions of others, although she does come to admire some strengths with her sister.
The ending felt too abrupt to me, and I don't get how she couldn't look back at all when she eagerly left her family and hometown. They seem to be sweet people. Overall a good installment of the Lily Bard series, maybe the best yet.
The parents and sister don't stand out too much, but they were enjoyable written. The father wasn't in many scenes but turned out to be my favorite. Jack and Lily's relationship, again, not sure about the insta-magic when he appeared last time, see it's still going strong. I was intrigued by the cop and the back-story of how he reacted to Lily tugged on my heartstrings.
These books aren't known for their intense mysteries, but this one holds the more intriguing, complex, and twisted one of the series. Involves kidnapping, child baby switching, potential murders that may have happened offpage a long time ago, and a gross, perverted revelation at the end. Dark stuff but a happy ending after all. This is likely the best mystery of the Lily Bard series, where Lily actually has to snoop a bit on purpose. She doesn't come to by a Hercule Poirot or anything, but it's an interesting story nonetheless.
This one was a better one as, besides the story being rich, the background with her adjusting to her family and hometown made it more lively. Her raised eyebrow at her sister about strength was a little annoying though. Lily has become a bit snobby with some of her preconceptions of others, although she does come to admire some strengths with her sister.
The ending felt too abrupt to me, and I don't get how she couldn't look back at all when she eagerly left her family and hometown. They seem to be sweet people. Overall a good installment of the Lily Bard series, maybe the best yet.
October 23, 2014
Another good mystery, although the story got a little convoluted & confusing at a couple of points. May have been my fault for not following all the character names closely enough, but there were a fair few. Lily goes back to her home town, so she knows everyone & seems to meet half of them.
This has added depth to Lily's character & I like her more with each page. Very admirable lady. On to the next!
This has added depth to Lily's character & I like her more with each page. Very admirable lady. On to the next!
February 9, 2023
Dobre. Czyta się błyskawicznie.
December 12, 2025
I would rate this at 3.5 stars out of 5. Certainly good enough to keep me reading the rest of the series.
In this installment, we change small towns and therefore a lot of the people that Lily Bard is interacting with and it’s a good change. She returns to her home-town and her family’s home for her sister’s wedding right before Christmas. After her traumatic rape & mutilation, Lily fled the town, her family and her friends, to start a new life in Shakespeare, Arkansas. Although she doesn’t regret the change of scene, in this book she learns that she maybe left too soon, not giving anyone (including herself) time to get used to her new normal.
Like many people, Lily is reluctant to return home to face the family. She is not comfortable in her own skin yet, although she’s getting there, and doesn’t have the social skills to deal with those close to her effectively. A very typical introvert, she finds that it doesn’t have to be quite as difficult as she envisioned it—her family will meet her half-way if she makes an effort.
One thing that did improve this book was that Lily was out of her regular routine—so although she takes on some cleaning tasks (as part of her “investigation” of what’s going on in her home-town), the reader isn’t subjected to as many detailed scenes of her cleaning routine. Also, she is away from her gym, so ditto with the karate/strength training that permeates the first two books.
I think this could be a good series for people who care too much about the opinions of others, particularly those not close to them. Lily seems to be far too worried about what the community thinks of her and not worried enough about what she thinks of herself. Lily, if they aren’t paying your bills, their opinions don’t matter!
In this installment, we change small towns and therefore a lot of the people that Lily Bard is interacting with and it’s a good change. She returns to her home-town and her family’s home for her sister’s wedding right before Christmas. After her traumatic rape & mutilation, Lily fled the town, her family and her friends, to start a new life in Shakespeare, Arkansas. Although she doesn’t regret the change of scene, in this book she learns that she maybe left too soon, not giving anyone (including herself) time to get used to her new normal.
Like many people, Lily is reluctant to return home to face the family. She is not comfortable in her own skin yet, although she’s getting there, and doesn’t have the social skills to deal with those close to her effectively. A very typical introvert, she finds that it doesn’t have to be quite as difficult as she envisioned it—her family will meet her half-way if she makes an effort.
One thing that did improve this book was that Lily was out of her regular routine—so although she takes on some cleaning tasks (as part of her “investigation” of what’s going on in her home-town), the reader isn’t subjected to as many detailed scenes of her cleaning routine. Also, she is away from her gym, so ditto with the karate/strength training that permeates the first two books.
I think this could be a good series for people who care too much about the opinions of others, particularly those not close to them. Lily seems to be far too worried about what the community thinks of her and not worried enough about what she thinks of herself. Lily, if they aren’t paying your bills, their opinions don’t matter!
November 27, 2025
A Christmas edition for a series can often take warm, glowing tones, but not for Lily Bard. Going home for the holidays is the last thing Lily wants to do and her discomfort is great once she gets there. Will a missing child case for Jack cross-up Lily’s sister’s wedding dreams? And, a brutal murder is on the loose in Lily’s childhood small town ready to strike.
The third of Charlaine Harris’ Lily Bard series continues to deliver a strong, darkly-toned cozy mystery while main character Lily Bard takes measured steps away from her horrific past.
Lily left Bartley when it got too much. She was stifling under the whole town’s knowledge that she was kidnapped, raped, tortured, and killed one of her kidnappers. Her sister’s sympathy dried up before Lily had done much recovering and all her helpless parents could do was hover. But now, years later, Lily is slowly getting into a better place and a certain tall, handsome private detective is part of it. However, the duty to family calls her back home for the holiday season with her sister hoping a wedding and family togetherness will heal some of the rift.
Bartley surprises Lily when first she and her sister stumble upon a brutal double murder, but even more surprising is Jack sharing that three of Bartley families are under suspicion in a child’s disappearance from a few years back. One of the prime suspects is her sister’s fiancé. Lily insists on helping with this case wanting it cleared up before the wedding and the need to be certain her sister isn’t marrying a man with a stolen child.
Shakespeare’s Christmas had a compelling murder mystery and old kidnapping case, but I confess to being way more interested in Lily’s return home, healing, interactions with her family, and of course, the progress on her tentative romance with Jack Leeds. Jack and Lily both have struggles to get over so the fragility of their relationship was as suspenseful as the murder.
Julia Gibson glimmers and glamours in the sparkle of this Christmas-time mystery and I really love what she brings to the Lily Bard world.
All in all, another solid, satisfying series entry. I think I’m coming to see these as less ‘cozy’ and just classify them as mysteries with a small-town southern-feel setting.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy on 11.24.25.
The third of Charlaine Harris’ Lily Bard series continues to deliver a strong, darkly-toned cozy mystery while main character Lily Bard takes measured steps away from her horrific past.
Lily left Bartley when it got too much. She was stifling under the whole town’s knowledge that she was kidnapped, raped, tortured, and killed one of her kidnappers. Her sister’s sympathy dried up before Lily had done much recovering and all her helpless parents could do was hover. But now, years later, Lily is slowly getting into a better place and a certain tall, handsome private detective is part of it. However, the duty to family calls her back home for the holiday season with her sister hoping a wedding and family togetherness will heal some of the rift.
Bartley surprises Lily when first she and her sister stumble upon a brutal double murder, but even more surprising is Jack sharing that three of Bartley families are under suspicion in a child’s disappearance from a few years back. One of the prime suspects is her sister’s fiancé. Lily insists on helping with this case wanting it cleared up before the wedding and the need to be certain her sister isn’t marrying a man with a stolen child.
Shakespeare’s Christmas had a compelling murder mystery and old kidnapping case, but I confess to being way more interested in Lily’s return home, healing, interactions with her family, and of course, the progress on her tentative romance with Jack Leeds. Jack and Lily both have struggles to get over so the fragility of their relationship was as suspenseful as the murder.
Julia Gibson glimmers and glamours in the sparkle of this Christmas-time mystery and I really love what she brings to the Lily Bard world.
All in all, another solid, satisfying series entry. I think I’m coming to see these as less ‘cozy’ and just classify them as mysteries with a small-town southern-feel setting.
My full review will post at The Reading Frenzy on 11.24.25.
June 12, 2024
The title is actually a misnomer because Lily Bard is going home to Bartley, Ark., for her sister’s Christmastime wedding. Nearly as soon as Lily arrives, the longtime doctor and his nurse are brutally murdered. Why would anyone do this? And Lily’s sorta boyfriend private eye Jack Leeds shows up with a mystery of his own that he’s investigating. Author Charlaine Harris keeps up her usual high standard with this five-star page-turner.
December 13, 2024
Le sigh. I'm tiring of Harris' writing characters who are so severely damaged that they don't make sense anymore. What woman who's been through what Lily Bard has been through would find herself attracted to a physically aggressive man like Jack? And if Jack is the person he's supposed to be - a man who knows what Lily Bard has been through - why is he always manhandling her in such a way that she has remind him not to?
The premise for this book was better than the previous two, but the disjointed writing and horrible characters (NO person in her family understood and took her side?!) ruined this. Also, the pathetic and disturbing reasoning for why the villain did what he did made this anticlimactic. The ending is what my sister calls a "this-needs-to-in-by-5-o'clock-and-it's-4:59" ending.
It didn't help that she recapped characters and incidents from previous books (save for the one theme that kept coming up over and over again). I feel that in a series, the reader takes their chances if they choose to start in the middle.
I've read better by Charlaine Harris and may simply persevere with this series since there are only two books left. Definitely not my favourite.
The premise for this book was better than the previous two, but the disjointed writing and horrible characters (NO person in her family understood and took her side?!) ruined this. Also, the pathetic and disturbing reasoning for why the villain did what he did made this anticlimactic. The ending is what my sister calls a "this-needs-to-in-by-5-o'clock-and-it's-4:59" ending.
It didn't help that she recapped characters and incidents from previous books (save for the one theme that kept coming up over and over again). I feel that in a series, the reader takes their chances if they choose to start in the middle.
I've read better by Charlaine Harris and may simply persevere with this series since there are only two books left. Definitely not my favourite.
June 24, 2017
Better than the second book. Less disturbing somehow. Lily goes home for Christmas. Her relationship with Jack is less troublesome, more real. Lily is still cantankerous as hell, but seeing her at home makes this easier to understand. I'm starting to know Lily better now.
December 20, 2021
This was enjoyable. Lily Bard s a character, who after overcoming a violent assault several years ago, as become a kick butt physically strong 30 year old woman. Her intuition got her into an unsuspected situation and murder mystery. I will pick up another Lily Bard mystery but there's no immediate rush.
August 12, 2023
Eeee?
Generalnie książka jest spoko - polubiłam się z nimi i jestem dla Lily Bard, bo to strasznie fajna babka jest i to na dodatek z takim nietypowym zawodem jak na kryminały i do praktycznie samego końca było dobrze, ale o co chodzi z tym zakończeniem? Audiobook był skopany, czy faktycznie książka urywa się w połowie zdania i nic nie podsumowuje?! Cokolwiek dobrego miałabym do powiedzenia o tym tomie, zakończenie całkowicie to skopało. Szkoda, bo byłam podekscytowana kolejnymi przygodami Bard, a zostałam z niesmakiem i rozczarowaniem.
Generalnie książka jest spoko - polubiłam się z nimi i jestem dla Lily Bard, bo to strasznie fajna babka jest i to na dodatek z takim nietypowym zawodem jak na kryminały i do praktycznie samego końca było dobrze, ale o co chodzi z tym zakończeniem? Audiobook był skopany, czy faktycznie książka urywa się w połowie zdania i nic nie podsumowuje?! Cokolwiek dobrego miałabym do powiedzenia o tym tomie, zakończenie całkowicie to skopało. Szkoda, bo byłam podekscytowana kolejnymi przygodami Bard, a zostałam z niesmakiem i rozczarowaniem.
November 2, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. However, I don't recommend reading this series out of order. There is quite a bit of history from the first books you need to understand this book.
September 9, 2013
I've gotten very attached to Lily Bard. It was interesting this time around to see her outside of the Shakespeare setting and interacting with her family. I like how Lily, even though there seems to be a murder every time she turns around, has gradually started to enjoy life again. She's beginning to trust people, she's making friends and she's coming to think of Shakespeare as home.
I think the cute cover art on some of the editions gives the wrong impression, though. These are not cozy mysteries. Harris doesn't shy away from disturbing subject matter, and this book is no exception. But she doesn't revel in it either.
I don't think I've ever read so many mysteries in such a short period of time. On to the next!
I think the cute cover art on some of the editions gives the wrong impression, though. These are not cozy mysteries. Harris doesn't shy away from disturbing subject matter, and this book is no exception. But she doesn't revel in it either.
I don't think I've ever read so many mysteries in such a short period of time. On to the next!
November 17, 2008
I've enjoyed every one of Charlaine Harris' 'Shakespeare' mysteries. These are much darker than her other series with the exception of the 'Harper Connelly' series. If you're expecting anything like her 'Dead' series...don't. But if you like a gritty mystery with a kick-ass heroine with a dark past...you'd be doing yourself a favor to try this series out. These were originally written in the 90s, but have been reprinted in the last couple of years.
Lily has to return to her hometown after all this time. Her sister is getting married and Lily will be one of the attendants. Lily isn't doing too badly back home. But then two people are murdered, her detective boyfriend shows up looking into an old missing baby case, and there's another murder. All Lily really wanted was a quiet Christmas!
Like I said, I've read the whole Shakespeare series and only wish there were more.
Lily has to return to her hometown after all this time. Her sister is getting married and Lily will be one of the attendants. Lily isn't doing too badly back home. But then two people are murdered, her detective boyfriend shows up looking into an old missing baby case, and there's another murder. All Lily really wanted was a quiet Christmas!
Like I said, I've read the whole Shakespeare series and only wish there were more.
May 21, 2023
I have an admission to make. I started reading book 5 and realized I had missed one somehow. I get these through Overdrive because I know I won't reread them, so why buy, right? Anyway, I'm not that careful about the numbers, but something was obviously missing! I stopped reading five and went back to get this one.
This was just a par for the course Lily Bard with the exception of our getting to meet her family. Finally! I loved visiting her hometown and even something as silly as imagining her in all the fancy clothes associated with being in a wedding party was a super-fun diversion. She is usually in workout clothes or jeans. That's Lily, though, so that's ok.
I'm glad to see she and Jack developing. I can't wait to dive back into book five. I'm a little sad to leave Shakespeare, though.
This was just a par for the course Lily Bard with the exception of our getting to meet her family. Finally! I loved visiting her hometown and even something as silly as imagining her in all the fancy clothes associated with being in a wedding party was a super-fun diversion. She is usually in workout clothes or jeans. That's Lily, though, so that's ok.
I'm glad to see she and Jack developing. I can't wait to dive back into book five. I'm a little sad to leave Shakespeare, though.
December 29, 2010
This was my first book in the Lily Bard series. I was looking for Christmas books so read this out of order. I'm not a huge Charlene Harris fan - I don't care for the vampire series at all- but loved this one. I immediately downloaded and read books 1 and 2 in the series next. The main character is a woman who had been brutally attacked in the past and goes on to learn self defense and get very strong. Because of her experiences, she has as hard time relating to people but is making friends in the small town she lives in. I like the characters. These books move very quickly. I usually read cozies and this is a bit more graphic than a cozy but a great series. I'll read the rest.
October 3, 2025
Lily Bard is traveling to her hometown to participate in her sister Varena’s wedding. Lily hasn’t been home in many years since she was attacked by an unknown attacker. Upon arriving everyone is cautious around her in what they talk about which makes her terribly uncomfortable. Shortly after Lily arrives she thinks she sees Jack, her boyfriend’s car, at a local motel. Turns out she is correct Jack has turned up in Bartley to check into a cold case about a kidnapping of a child as well as to see Lily.
As the wedding plans and parties continue, Lily is foisted upon new and old couples from her past and their children. Soon she becomes part of Jacks case trying to find out who may have kidnapped a child 8 years ago. Three young girls of different parents fit the criteria. While Varena and Lily are packing up Varena’s apartment before the wedding Varena’s neighbor is found by Jack barely alive in the backyard of Varena’s apartment. Her dying words were ‘the children’. Her husband Emory had taken the children out to eat while she froze to death in the back yard after being brutally attacked. There are numerous suspects in this book.
This was a really good book. The end of the book is very frightening especially because there are children involved which always makes me uncomfortable.
As the wedding plans and parties continue, Lily is foisted upon new and old couples from her past and their children. Soon she becomes part of Jacks case trying to find out who may have kidnapped a child 8 years ago. Three young girls of different parents fit the criteria. While Varena and Lily are packing up Varena’s apartment before the wedding Varena’s neighbor is found by Jack barely alive in the backyard of Varena’s apartment. Her dying words were ‘the children’. Her husband Emory had taken the children out to eat while she froze to death in the back yard after being brutally attacked. There are numerous suspects in this book.
This was a really good book. The end of the book is very frightening especially because there are children involved which always makes me uncomfortable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2015
Shakespeare's Christmas
4 Stars
Returning home for her sister’s wedding, Lily is dreading the inevitable confrontation with the harsh memories of her past. All this takes a back seat, however, when Lily finds herself enmeshed in a new mystery as her boyfriend, private investigator Jack Leeds, arrives with the troubling news that Lily's soon to be brother-in-law may be a kidnapper.
While Lily is definitely not the most affable of heroines and some readers may find her directness curt and discourteous, to me she is refreshing, original and admirable. The insights into her life immediately following the attack and the reactions of her friends and family at the time, provide additional depths to her character and reinforce her amazing strength of will and resilience.
Jack and Lily’s romance is going strong and there are several entertaining scenes with the two of them trying to define their relationship and its future direction. Jack can charm the pants off anyone and the reactions of the various Bard family members to his presence are priceless.
The mystery involves a killer’s attempts to cover up a kidnapping and once again the reader follows Lily as she uncovers the clues and confronts the culprit. The actual investigation is rather slow going as the case builds against several likely suspects, but the climax is exciting and the resolution satisfying.
Although the mystery is solved and the villain is apprehended, Lily’s departure from Bartley is somewhat abrupt and there are a couple of loose ends remaining, such as and .
In terms of the audiobook, Julia Gibson’s narration is enjoyable although there are still lengthy gaps between sections that can be distracting.
In sum, Lily has become one of my favorite heroines and the more I read of this series, the better I like it. Looking forward to the next installment.
4 Stars
Returning home for her sister’s wedding, Lily is dreading the inevitable confrontation with the harsh memories of her past. All this takes a back seat, however, when Lily finds herself enmeshed in a new mystery as her boyfriend, private investigator Jack Leeds, arrives with the troubling news that Lily's soon to be brother-in-law may be a kidnapper.
While Lily is definitely not the most affable of heroines and some readers may find her directness curt and discourteous, to me she is refreshing, original and admirable. The insights into her life immediately following the attack and the reactions of her friends and family at the time, provide additional depths to her character and reinforce her amazing strength of will and resilience.
Jack and Lily’s romance is going strong and there are several entertaining scenes with the two of them trying to define their relationship and its future direction. Jack can charm the pants off anyone and the reactions of the various Bard family members to his presence are priceless.
The mystery involves a killer’s attempts to cover up a kidnapping and once again the reader follows Lily as she uncovers the clues and confronts the culprit. The actual investigation is rather slow going as the case builds against several likely suspects, but the climax is exciting and the resolution satisfying.
Although the mystery is solved and the villain is apprehended, Lily’s departure from Bartley is somewhat abrupt and there are a couple of loose ends remaining, such as and .
In terms of the audiobook, Julia Gibson’s narration is enjoyable although there are still lengthy gaps between sections that can be distracting.
In sum, Lily has become one of my favorite heroines and the more I read of this series, the better I like it. Looking forward to the next installment.
April 15, 2013
The third in the Lily Bard/Shakespeare Mystery series. At last a plot that has some substance to it, a whodunit that though the reason why is fairly obvious the perpetrator is less so.
Interesting that the author chose this, the third book in the series, to really explore the aftermath of Lily's assault not just through the eyes of those closest to Lily but also through Lily herself's eyes, though this works ok as a stand alone novel it is because of this that I think the books are probably best read in order.
Though still full of coincidences, highly contrived and somewhat lacking in reality (what would law enforcement be without she who solves crimes others fail to?), with none (or very little anyway) of the usual house cleaning and gym elements to the story at last we are rewarded to a good 'old fashioned' murder mystery in which we get to know a far more well-rounded and less one- dimensional Lily.
Enjoyable enough, after reading this I'm at least more inclined to read the other two remaining books in the series.
Interesting that the author chose this, the third book in the series, to really explore the aftermath of Lily's assault not just through the eyes of those closest to Lily but also through Lily herself's eyes, though this works ok as a stand alone novel it is because of this that I think the books are probably best read in order.
Though still full of coincidences, highly contrived and somewhat lacking in reality (what would law enforcement be without she who solves crimes others fail to?), with none (or very little anyway) of the usual house cleaning and gym elements to the story at last we are rewarded to a good 'old fashioned' murder mystery in which we get to know a far more well-rounded and less one- dimensional Lily.
Enjoyable enough, after reading this I'm at least more inclined to read the other two remaining books in the series.
August 19, 2014
Lily Bard is much darker than Sookie Stackhouse. I've know that, I figured it out the first few books. But even so, this one gave me nightmares.
I have a sister who is deeply disturbed (I am as well, I just handle it better) by crimes involving children. If you are, this might not be the best book for you.
I have one large issue with this installment ... the hurry up to the end. All the Lily Bard mysteries are quick reads. But mostly the mystery stretches out throughout the book. In this one, there was essentially no "lead" or alley to chase until the last ten pages. And then, it happened quickly and was over even more quickly.
So through 3/4 of the book nothing happened. Not plot hooks, no lead in, and I just felt the whole "Jack is here" part of it all seemed incredibly forced on Harris' part.
Eh, I'll still be reading the rest of the series so what am I complaining about?
I have a sister who is deeply disturbed (I am as well, I just handle it better) by crimes involving children. If you are, this might not be the best book for you.
I have one large issue with this installment ... the hurry up to the end. All the Lily Bard mysteries are quick reads. But mostly the mystery stretches out throughout the book. In this one, there was essentially no "lead" or alley to chase until the last ten pages. And then, it happened quickly and was over even more quickly.
So through 3/4 of the book nothing happened. Not plot hooks, no lead in, and I just felt the whole "Jack is here" part of it all seemed incredibly forced on Harris' part.
Eh, I'll still be reading the rest of the series so what am I complaining about?
December 9, 2016
Shakespeare's Christmas During the holidays I like to read books centered around the season. Unfortunately that is becoming more and more difficult to do unless one really likes trite, cozy mysteries or steamy holiday romance novels. Since I have previously read all of the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris, I decided to give Shakespeare's Christmas a try. Yes, it is a cozy mystery and yes it is written in exactly the same style as all other Harris books. Harris writes exactly as she speaks - in down home, southern flavor. Her books are written simply and and there will be NO surprise twists at the end. However, if you want a seasonal book, an easy read, something to cozy up next to the fireplace with while it's snowing outside then this book is perfect. And I did....
March 27, 2015
I didn't enjoy this book as much as the 1st two in the series. In this book Lily leaves Shakespeare to go back to her home town for her sister's wedding.
The problem I had with this book is that everything was so weird with her family and the citizens of Bartlett.
The problem I had with this book is that everything was so weird with her family and the citizens of Bartlett.
January 15, 2016
The weakest entry so far, but still not a bad read. The book takes place out of Shakespeare and in Lily's hometown of Bartley, which it was nice to learn more about her family and other background info. She's still prickly and ill-suited to normal human interactions, but she is trying. I hope by the end of the series, she'll be even closer to fully healing. Lily's relationship with Jack is interesting and weird, but they're still figuring things out, and have similar feelings towards committment it seems. The mystery could have been stretched into a longer book and not wrapped up so quickly, but it didn't bother me very much. In the end, it was a fast and easy story, and a good but not great third book in the Lily Bard series.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
December 19, 2012
This was a perfect-for-me holiday read. Murder and mystery as written by Charlaine Harris. Yep, perfect. And it's still good. Above was written 23 Dec 2008. Read it again as a holiday favorite.
July 14, 2024
Third in the Lily Bard cozy-ish, noir suspense series revolving around a cleaning woman/karate expert with PTSD in Shakespeare, Arkansas.
My Take
Harris uses a first person protagonist point-of-view from Lily’s perspective, and I can tell ya now, Lily is not excited about Carlton’s suggestion that she have a more physical presence in town, lol.
Whoa, Lily talks about her family and how they treat her now, after her kidnapping and rapes, and it’s danged sad. Especially Varena for her not understanding why Lily hasn’t moved on from her ordeal. (It’s Dill’s words that have her so angry at Varena, as enlightening as they may be.) When Jack shows up in Bartley, well, Lily is surprised and her family is happy.
Lily’s character growth continues as she thinks how different things might have been if she’d stayed in Bartley.
Gerald, Lily’s father, is a crack-up. Feigning abhorrence for all the wedding planning Lily notes how delighted he actually seems, lol.
Harris does keep us in suspense with all the possible victims and bad people. Lord knows, Harris drops enough red herrings!
Per usual, Shakespeare’s Christmas is split between Lily’s thoughts and actions, as we relive some of Lily’s past.
The Story
For Lily Bard, the idea of “going home for Christmas” summons nothing but dread. Back in Bartley, all people see when they look at Lily is a victim. But her sister is getting married, and Lily’s determined to give her family what they want. She’ll be present, be pleasant, and let her sister have the spotlight. Or so she thinks, until she discovers her boyfriend in town on a case, chasing a lead that could blow up the whole celebration.
One of the little girls in Bartley isn’t who she thinks she is. And one of the town’s respectable parents is a cold-blooded kidnapper ready to kill to hide their secrets. For her sister — and her sister’s eight-year-old stepdaughter-to-be — Lily must find the truth. Even if it means she’ll never go home again . . .
The Characters
The prickly Lily Bard knows karate and is a cleaning lady — Shakespeare’s Cleaning and Errands, who has recently added tree decorating to her offerings. Jack Leeds, a disgraced police officer from Memphis, is now a private detective as well as Lily’s boyfriend ( Shakespeare’s Champion , 2). Roy Costimiglia and Elizabeth “Aunt Betty” Fry are Jack’s PI friends.
Bartley is . . .
. . . Lily’s hometown where Lily’s parents, Gerald and Frieda, live in Bartley where sister Varena, a nurse, is getting married to Dillard “Dill” Kingery, a pharmacist who has a little girl, Anna. Mrs Lula Kingery is Dill’s reluctant mother who preferred the first wife, Judy. Jay is Dill’s younger brother; Matthew Kingery is a cousin. Berry Duff, Dill’s former college roommate and a farmer, is Dill’s best man. He has two kids, one of whom is Daniel.
Tootsie Monahan is Varena’s lifelong best friend. Janna Russell is the other bridesmaid. Margie Lipscom, a nurse at the local hospital and married to a lawyer, hosts a shower. Emory and Meredith Osborn have a little girl, Eve, and a new baby, Jane Lilith; they bought their house from old Mrs Smitherton. Now they rent a cottage on the grounds to Varena. The O’Sheas are a minister and his wife, Jess and Lou, and they have two children: Krista and baby Luke. Grace Parks is Frieda’s best friend.
Diane Dykeman, a sales clerk, had a purse snatched. Dr Dave LeMay is a local doctor with Binnie Armstrong his nurse. Chandler McAdoo had been Lily’s lab partner in high school and is now the police chief. He’s currently seeing Tootsie (after two stabs at marriage; Cindy had been #2). Roger is one of his officers. Detective Brainerd is investigating the murder. Patsy Green is the florist. Beryl Trotter is the elementary school principal. Sarah Cawthorne owns half of Sarah May’s, a restaurant. Mrs Fontenat had shot her married lover back in 1931. Corbett’s is a gift shop. Christopher Darby Sims is a homeless man. Mary Maude Plummer (formerly Baumgartner) works at a furniture store and had been a friend of Lily’s. Mr Patel manages the motel where Jack is staying. Bobby Mitzer kissed Anna. Shelley is the teenage babysitter with the flu.
Shakespeare is . . .
. . . Lily’s home these days. Her clients include Dr Carrie Thrush, a friend; the Drinkwaters; Dr Sizemore; Deedra Dean; and, Birdie Rossiter with her elderly cocker spaniel, Durwood. Claude Friedrich is the chief of police. Marshall Sedaka, who owns Body Time where Lily takes karate lessons, is also her friend. His students include Carlton Cockcroft, an accountant and Lily’s neighbor; Raphael Roundtree; and, Janet Shook, a friend of Lily’s who teaches a Safe After School program.
The Winthrops, Beanie and Howell III, have fired Lily since events in Shakespeare’s Champion . Their children include Howell III, the college-age Bobo who is Lily’s friend, and Amber Jean. Howell Winthrop I, II’s father, had been a bad boy. Arnita is I’s wife.
Teresa and Simon Macklesby lost Summer Dawn, their baby, who disappeared some eight years ago. Marianna is a saleswoman who's decking Lily out.
The Cover and Title
The cover is chilly — maybe reflecting Lily’s fears? — with its wintry tablecloth, napkins, and plates. Off-center is a mini Christmas tree as a centerpiece with four white candles and several glass ornaments. The crystal glasses don’t add any warmth. Nor does the black shadowed, white text of the title (mid-tree) and, at the bottom, the info blurb followed by the author’s name. The brightest color comes from the red in a missing poster sitting on the bottom right of the table.
The title is more what Lily comes home to, a Shakespeare’s Christmas.
My Take
Harris uses a first person protagonist point-of-view from Lily’s perspective, and I can tell ya now, Lily is not excited about Carlton’s suggestion that she have a more physical presence in town, lol.
Whoa, Lily talks about her family and how they treat her now, after her kidnapping and rapes, and it’s danged sad. Especially Varena for her not understanding why Lily hasn’t moved on from her ordeal. (It’s Dill’s words that have her so angry at Varena, as enlightening as they may be.) When Jack shows up in Bartley, well, Lily is surprised and her family is happy.
Lily’s character growth continues as she thinks how different things might have been if she’d stayed in Bartley.
Gerald, Lily’s father, is a crack-up. Feigning abhorrence for all the wedding planning Lily notes how delighted he actually seems, lol.
Harris does keep us in suspense with all the possible victims and bad people. Lord knows, Harris drops enough red herrings!
Per usual, Shakespeare’s Christmas is split between Lily’s thoughts and actions, as we relive some of Lily’s past.
The Story
For Lily Bard, the idea of “going home for Christmas” summons nothing but dread. Back in Bartley, all people see when they look at Lily is a victim. But her sister is getting married, and Lily’s determined to give her family what they want. She’ll be present, be pleasant, and let her sister have the spotlight. Or so she thinks, until she discovers her boyfriend in town on a case, chasing a lead that could blow up the whole celebration.
One of the little girls in Bartley isn’t who she thinks she is. And one of the town’s respectable parents is a cold-blooded kidnapper ready to kill to hide their secrets. For her sister — and her sister’s eight-year-old stepdaughter-to-be — Lily must find the truth. Even if it means she’ll never go home again . . .
The Characters
The prickly Lily Bard knows karate and is a cleaning lady — Shakespeare’s Cleaning and Errands, who has recently added tree decorating to her offerings. Jack Leeds, a disgraced police officer from Memphis, is now a private detective as well as Lily’s boyfriend ( Shakespeare’s Champion , 2). Roy Costimiglia and Elizabeth “Aunt Betty” Fry are Jack’s PI friends.
Bartley is . . .
. . . Lily’s hometown where Lily’s parents, Gerald and Frieda, live in Bartley where sister Varena, a nurse, is getting married to Dillard “Dill” Kingery, a pharmacist who has a little girl, Anna. Mrs Lula Kingery is Dill’s reluctant mother who preferred the first wife, Judy. Jay is Dill’s younger brother; Matthew Kingery is a cousin. Berry Duff, Dill’s former college roommate and a farmer, is Dill’s best man. He has two kids, one of whom is Daniel.
Tootsie Monahan is Varena’s lifelong best friend. Janna Russell is the other bridesmaid. Margie Lipscom, a nurse at the local hospital and married to a lawyer, hosts a shower. Emory and Meredith Osborn have a little girl, Eve, and a new baby, Jane Lilith; they bought their house from old Mrs Smitherton. Now they rent a cottage on the grounds to Varena. The O’Sheas are a minister and his wife, Jess and Lou, and they have two children: Krista and baby Luke. Grace Parks is Frieda’s best friend.
Diane Dykeman, a sales clerk, had a purse snatched. Dr Dave LeMay is a local doctor with Binnie Armstrong his nurse. Chandler McAdoo had been Lily’s lab partner in high school and is now the police chief. He’s currently seeing Tootsie (after two stabs at marriage; Cindy had been #2). Roger is one of his officers. Detective Brainerd is investigating the murder. Patsy Green is the florist. Beryl Trotter is the elementary school principal. Sarah Cawthorne owns half of Sarah May’s, a restaurant. Mrs Fontenat had shot her married lover back in 1931. Corbett’s is a gift shop. Christopher Darby Sims is a homeless man. Mary Maude Plummer (formerly Baumgartner) works at a furniture store and had been a friend of Lily’s. Mr Patel manages the motel where Jack is staying. Bobby Mitzer kissed Anna. Shelley is the teenage babysitter with the flu.
Shakespeare is . . .
. . . Lily’s home these days. Her clients include Dr Carrie Thrush, a friend; the Drinkwaters; Dr Sizemore; Deedra Dean; and, Birdie Rossiter with her elderly cocker spaniel, Durwood. Claude Friedrich is the chief of police. Marshall Sedaka, who owns Body Time where Lily takes karate lessons, is also her friend. His students include Carlton Cockcroft, an accountant and Lily’s neighbor; Raphael Roundtree; and, Janet Shook, a friend of Lily’s who teaches a Safe After School program.
The Winthrops, Beanie and Howell III, have fired Lily since events in Shakespeare’s Champion . Their children include Howell III, the college-age Bobo who is Lily’s friend, and Amber Jean. Howell Winthrop I, II’s father, had been a bad boy. Arnita is I’s wife.
Teresa and Simon Macklesby lost Summer Dawn, their baby, who disappeared some eight years ago. Marianna is a saleswoman who's decking Lily out.
The Cover and Title
The cover is chilly — maybe reflecting Lily’s fears? — with its wintry tablecloth, napkins, and plates. Off-center is a mini Christmas tree as a centerpiece with four white candles and several glass ornaments. The crystal glasses don’t add any warmth. Nor does the black shadowed, white text of the title (mid-tree) and, at the bottom, the info blurb followed by the author’s name. The brightest color comes from the red in a missing poster sitting on the bottom right of the table.
The title is more what Lily comes home to, a Shakespeare’s Christmas.
January 6, 2025
Shakespeare's Christmas continues the Lily Bard mystery series, but this time, we get a fresh setting and the story no longer takes place takes place in Shakespeare.
Lily returns to her hometown of Bartley for her sister's wedding. Old resentments and unresolved issues surface, forcing her to confront the past and re-evaluate her relationships with her family members.
However, the festive mood is quickly shattered when she and her sister discover the bodies of the town doctor and nurse. As I expected, Lily gets drawn into the investigation, despite her initial reluctance to get involved in the drama of her family reunion. To complicate matters further, her detective boyfriend, Jack Leeds, arrives in town, investigating a separate case involving the disappearance of a young girl.
Although the story takes place right before Christmas, don't expect a festive mood. This is not something you want to read to get into the holiday spirit (unless you count using Christmas decoration as a weapon.)
Despite the dark themes involving children, I felt this one was less intense than the previous two. Still, I think this is a good series worth reading if you like mysteries and don't shy away from dark themes.
Lily returns to her hometown of Bartley for her sister's wedding. Old resentments and unresolved issues surface, forcing her to confront the past and re-evaluate her relationships with her family members.
However, the festive mood is quickly shattered when she and her sister discover the bodies of the town doctor and nurse. As I expected, Lily gets drawn into the investigation, despite her initial reluctance to get involved in the drama of her family reunion. To complicate matters further, her detective boyfriend, Jack Leeds, arrives in town, investigating a separate case involving the disappearance of a young girl.
Although the story takes place right before Christmas, don't expect a festive mood. This is not something you want to read to get into the holiday spirit (unless you count using Christmas decoration as a weapon.)
Despite the dark themes involving children, I felt this one was less intense than the previous two. Still, I think this is a good series worth reading if you like mysteries and don't shy away from dark themes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 668 reviews