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Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery #3
Decorated To Death
The arrival of obnoxious TV decorating star Hezekia "Zeke" Harwood in the peaceful Bedforshire village of Snupperton Mumsley at the invitation of Lady Prunella Bliterington leads to disaster when Harwood turns up dead and Simon Kirby-Jones must investigate to clear Lady Prunella's name. Reprint.
255 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 17, 2014
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Decorated To Death (Simon Kirby-Jones Mysteries)
by Dean James
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Read the entire series, July 31, 2011
This review is from: Decorated To Death (Simon Kirby-Jones Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)
I have read this entire series and must say It is one of the most original and totally delightful series to come my way. The main sleuth, Simon Krby-Jones. is not just a vampire...he is a gay vampire and it doesn't stop there. Simon although he can rise above anyone confronting him in any situation, he has some other quirks that I found quite interesting. He can go out during the day, with limitations. He does not sleep in a coffin. Mirrors...no problem. He just takes his daily quantity of pills and all the old vampire issues are a thing of the past.
I enjoyed the originality and fun spirit of this series and this main character so much I asked the author, Dean james, if he would PLEASE write another book for Simon Kirby-Jones and me. :)
Thank-you Dean James.
July 24, 2012
Posted to Death. Faked to Death. Decorated to Death. Baked to Death. Books by Dean James. I wanted a light mystery series and found this series of 4 books featuring a gay vampire detective- Simon Kirby Jones. "Gay vampire" was the ploy used to differentiate itself from other cozy mysteries but the character was taking anti-vampire pills which defeated the whole purpose. Also, there seemed to be an unbelievably high number of gay characters in each book. Certain characters, dialogue and situations were amusing at first but overall the series was cliché, repetitive and redundant. It was only because I have a completist mindset that I read them all.
July 31, 2017
I love this tongue-in-cheek series! I love Simon and the other quirky characters in this delightful series! It's great seeing characters and relationships change throughout the series! The mystery in this one is clever and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader interested!
July 14, 2021
DNF - just too many “bumpy words” that made the process tedious (I don’t know how he managed to be both dry and florid… but he did). And the names of people and places… sheesh 🤦🏻♀️ If a doily could be a book, this would be that book.
December 29, 2022
Another good murder mystery.
Some things happening to Simon, I'm wondering if its all going to cone to a head in the last book.
A few editing errors, all of a sudden Lady Prunella was being referred to by Lady R ( I think).
Some things happening to Simon, I'm wondering if its all going to cone to a head in the last book.
A few editing errors, all of a sudden Lady Prunella was being referred to by Lady R ( I think).
July 31, 2021
Plot was ok, a little obvious but characters seemed one dimensional. I doubt I'll read another in the series.
March 5, 2025
Another winner
I very much enjoyed the intrigue and mystery in this story. I'm glad I decided to reread it again after all these years. It's just as good now as it was then.
I very much enjoyed the intrigue and mystery in this story. I'm glad I decided to reread it again after all these years. It's just as good now as it was then.
September 29, 2025
Cute and light hearted. It was easy to put down and pick back up again.
October 17, 2022
This is another solid entry in the Simon Kirby-Jones series. It mostly takes place in the home that Simon's assistant/boyfriend Giles Bliterhington shares with his over-the-top mother. An egotistical and altogether nasty decorator is redoing one of the main rooms; he's surrounded by a cast of characters who detest him, and of course murder is inevitable. Equally inevitable is the fact that gentle, smart, hapless Simon will somehow solve the crime.
The villain of this piece is particularly loathsome. But the core group of characters, especially Giles and his mom, are lots of fun. The books in this series are fundamentally gentle, playful, sexy, quick reads.
The villain of this piece is particularly loathsome. But the core group of characters, especially Giles and his mom, are lots of fun. The books in this series are fundamentally gentle, playful, sexy, quick reads.
May 28, 2024
Enjoyable story that is well written with likeable characters and good world building.
April 19, 2012
Time Taken To Read - 1 day
Blurb From Goodreads
Hardly one to become star-struck, Simon nevertheless deigns to attend a tea at Blitherington Hall in honor of celebrity interior designer Zeke Harwood, star of the popular television show, "Tres Zeke." The self-acclaimed King of Home Decorating makes it immediately obvious that he's there to give the drawing room a makeover--not make friends. So, it's little shock to Simon when the drama-queen decorator meets his demise; he's only surprised it hasn't happened sooner. Now, in a locked-room puzzle worthy of Agatha Christie, Simon must peel away layers of lies to reveal who killed the decorator in the drawing room with a blunt instrument.
My Review
Simon's village is about to be shaken up by the visit of a tv "celebrity" interior designer. Zeke is aggressive, self obsessed, has an over inflated sense of self worth and everyone is below him. He comes to Snupperton Mumsley to makeover one of the residents home and starts ruffling feathers and making some enemies. Before long our "Tres Zeke" is found dead and Simon soon gets in the thick of it to find out who amongst them is the killer.
As always the book is a great light hearted, silly adventure and gossip fest. The continuing flirting between Simon and Giles steps up a notch as more pretty people come into their life and their try to figure out who done it.
These books always remind me of murder she wrote although instead of a little old lady as the investigator we have a well bred, camp intelligent man who happens to be gay and a vampire. The book is filled with humor, flirting and has a few wee twists. This is an easy fun read and also part of a series but you could easily get away with picking this up and reading as a stand alone, 3/5 for me this time.
Blurb From Goodreads
Hardly one to become star-struck, Simon nevertheless deigns to attend a tea at Blitherington Hall in honor of celebrity interior designer Zeke Harwood, star of the popular television show, "Tres Zeke." The self-acclaimed King of Home Decorating makes it immediately obvious that he's there to give the drawing room a makeover--not make friends. So, it's little shock to Simon when the drama-queen decorator meets his demise; he's only surprised it hasn't happened sooner. Now, in a locked-room puzzle worthy of Agatha Christie, Simon must peel away layers of lies to reveal who killed the decorator in the drawing room with a blunt instrument.
My Review
Simon's village is about to be shaken up by the visit of a tv "celebrity" interior designer. Zeke is aggressive, self obsessed, has an over inflated sense of self worth and everyone is below him. He comes to Snupperton Mumsley to makeover one of the residents home and starts ruffling feathers and making some enemies. Before long our "Tres Zeke" is found dead and Simon soon gets in the thick of it to find out who amongst them is the killer.
As always the book is a great light hearted, silly adventure and gossip fest. The continuing flirting between Simon and Giles steps up a notch as more pretty people come into their life and their try to figure out who done it.
These books always remind me of murder she wrote although instead of a little old lady as the investigator we have a well bred, camp intelligent man who happens to be gay and a vampire. The book is filled with humor, flirting and has a few wee twists. This is an easy fun read and also part of a series but you could easily get away with picking this up and reading as a stand alone, 3/5 for me this time.
June 18, 2013
While many of the flaws which pestered the first episode of this series were no longer to be found in the second one and neither have reappeared here -that constant use of those double surnames, though...- I cannot say I am completely happy about this novel.
Mr James decides to play the card of the witty parody of the sleuth stories and he lets his main hero explicitly mention the fact. This plot device is not as funny as one could imagine, though, at least not in the long run.
Simon looks again a little too self complacent and his dialogues with the handsome Inspector Chase are a lot less sparkling than they could. Even the sexual tension between the two as well as that with Giles appear dimmer than they could have been.
It is a fun read, but less than expected; there are some annoying inconsistencies scattered here and there, such as a statement about Giles not being aware of his beauty followed by the opposite one after no more than two pages.
Mr James decides to play the card of the witty parody of the sleuth stories and he lets his main hero explicitly mention the fact. This plot device is not as funny as one could imagine, though, at least not in the long run.
Simon looks again a little too self complacent and his dialogues with the handsome Inspector Chase are a lot less sparkling than they could. Even the sexual tension between the two as well as that with Giles appear dimmer than they could have been.
It is a fun read, but less than expected; there are some annoying inconsistencies scattered here and there, such as a statement about Giles not being aware of his beauty followed by the opposite one after no more than two pages.
July 18, 2008
The third installment of the Simon Kirby-Jones vampire mystery series opens with the murder of a famous interior decorator, who visited Blitherington Hall to redecorate a room for a new episode of his tv series. In the tried and tested Marple/Poirot way Simon will investigate and finally solve the murder mystery. As always, the book provides a very entertaining reading. Unfortunately, this also brings a kind of routine with it. The anecdotes and quotations sound familiar, likewise the amusing descriptions of life in idyllic Snupperton Mumsley. Let's hope some fresh blood will come with the next volume.
August 24, 2011
Simon is invited to Gile's home to see a famous 'telly' reality decorator to the stars, redo Lady Prunella's drawing room being redone for the show.
Admist screams of 'red' and 'drawing room' causes fainting spells and more. Much more, in fact, murder of the star decorator draped upon the sofa in Red!
Once again, Simon is asked for his unofficial help by Chief of police, Robin and unearths all types of sinister sins among the family of the deocrator himself.
This book is humourous and keeps you wondering about a sub-plot brewing beneath the obvious. Is Simon to be disclosed for nefarious reasons?
Admist screams of 'red' and 'drawing room' causes fainting spells and more. Much more, in fact, murder of the star decorator draped upon the sofa in Red!
Once again, Simon is asked for his unofficial help by Chief of police, Robin and unearths all types of sinister sins among the family of the deocrator himself.
This book is humourous and keeps you wondering about a sub-plot brewing beneath the obvious. Is Simon to be disclosed for nefarious reasons?
October 8, 2014
I don't normally start a series in the middle but I was desperate for a read today and I had this on hand. It was actually a good read overall as far as the mystery and everything went. Definitely reminiscent of Agatha Christie, whom I love. However, I couldn't stand the catty gay comments and attitudes (I wouldn't have enjoyed it even if they were opposite genders) and the British undertones. Not my thing. I don't think I'll go on to read the others because I can't get into the characters. Perhaps if I'd started from the beginning I'd feel different.
October 21, 2015
This is a fun cozy mystery. Well, if you call an expatriate-murder-solving-homosexual-vampire a cozy mystery!
This tale was fun from beginning to end. In the vein (haha) of Sookie Stackhouse, it is light-hearted, enjoyable and ties up all loose ends by the last page. The writing was fresh, energetic, and intelligent. I love the use of words such as "harridan", "loquacious" and "fishwife". I will read more by this author!
This tale was fun from beginning to end. In the vein (haha) of Sookie Stackhouse, it is light-hearted, enjoyable and ties up all loose ends by the last page. The writing was fresh, energetic, and intelligent. I love the use of words such as "harridan", "loquacious" and "fishwife". I will read more by this author!
September 12, 2012
This was a fun, quick read. Not sure I will read any more in the series, though. The main character is supposed to be an American in England but he speaks like a Brit, which is kind of disconcerting. It was a good mystery, though, and had some decidedly unusual factors that made it more interesting than your basic "cozy."
March 16, 2012
I enjoyed this and if it was possible to give 3.5 stars I would, but it was a little bit too formulaic to give 4. The secondary characters were all rather cardboard. Still, it was fun and I will definitely go on reading them.
March 11, 2008
My favorite gay vampire detective living in the Cotswolds series.
August 16, 2009
Another cozy starring Simon Kirby-Jones, the gay vampire. This one was a great story. Again, not too sure about the vampire aspect.
September 11, 2012
Good gay mystery in which Lady Prunella foolishly invites a decorator, famous for his bad manners and extreme room makeovers show, to redecorate the drawing room.
January 7, 2011
.. a series to ponder and laugh
June 2, 2012
i really enjoyed this book. i liked all the characters and i didnt suss the end of the story was gripped to the end of the book didnt want it to end
January 11, 2012
Another fun romp in Snupperton Mumsley! I do love these books, silly nonsense really, but such fun!
I think this one was better than no 2!!
I think this one was better than no 2!!
September 12, 2012
Third in this gay vamire, amateur sleuth series. Nice to see the series improves as it goes along rather than flagging. Light and entertaining.
July 17, 2013
Excellent cozy mystery. Full review here: http://angrygreycatreads.com/2013/07/...
October 26, 2013
I so enjoyed this addition to the series. I love Dean James characters and the plot. I could picture everything that was happening in the book and loved it! I highly recommend this book and series!
March 26, 2015
Definitely enjoyed it.
March 24, 2015
Gay vampire mystery author solves locked-room murder mystery! Whee!
May 18, 2015
Really enjoying this series of books by Dean James. I can't wait for the next one!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews