Mark Pghfan’s Comments (group member since Mar 06, 2014)

Mark Pghfan’s comments from the The Parlor PI's group.

I think one a year at Christmas time would be fine, since the Christmas atmosphere is quite heavy. The protagonist herself is pleasant, but very much like the other female ones we have been reading about. (At least we didn't hear so much about what she was wearing!)

As J noted, I can't say there was much in the way of clues to help either Merry or the reader to come to the right conclusion. And frankly, we didn't hear anything as to why Sue Anne was at the mayor's house in the first place. Was it to have a face-off and it just turned into the confrontation by coincidence?

In a dramatic finish, we find the culprit behind the murder of Nigel as well as the numerous acts of sabotage.

How many of you thought, even at the ending at the Mayor's house, that it was he who needed to be protected from Sue Anne? And not the other way around?

It appears none of us picked the culprit, though a number of us thought it was Sue Anne for similar reasons.

Do you think the solution was fair, with regard to the clues provided? Frankly, I don't think Merry solved anything--if nothing else, Alan seemed to grasp things first.

Who do you think Merry should go for, Alan or Russ?

Do you think you will read more of this series? (It seems likely one will show up next Christmas.)

I just finished as well. I will start a final thread to discuss the ending, since so many of us are already done.

I'm not a gritty fan, and another post for these discussions are great with me!

Well, it looks like many of us are on to the next section, as am I. At the end of the last, there was a surprising spontaneous fire in the hot dog grill that may have injured Jackie's boyfriend Kyle. One of Merry's presumptive beaus, Alan, jumped to the rescue! What (and who) is trying to ruin the livelihood of Rudolph? It is Sue Anne who is so desperate to become mayor by trashing the current mayor? Is it someone from the adjoining town who wants the Christmas business?

One thing that makes this mystery a little different from some of the series we have read in the past, is that with the series, we are pretty sure that a number of the recurrent characters are NOT guilty. Here, every one is new so we don't have that luxury.

Oh, and we will discuss the culprit in a final thread, so don't give anything away regarding that in this one!

That's a good reason for the text! I hadn't thought of that.

Tina, lots! Sugar cookies, peanut butter, gingersnaps, date bars, something we in Pittsburgh have called Farkleberrys-- plain cookie with orange peel and flavor, dried cranberries and white chocolate chips, covered in powdered sugar.

That business about crashing the neighboring town in a flimsy disguise was pretty lame, I need to admit.

Interesting call about that odd message. Clearly either he or Mom was meant to be lured away. I can't think what that might be. I don't remember anything Dad might impact.

Sounds yummy. Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day!

Well, Merry and the town are in a tizzy. Word of the death by poisoned cookie has gotten around, certainly to the neighboring town where people there are capitalizing on it by pointing out that THEIR food doesn't kill people! Rudolph businesses are hurting a bit, just at their more profitable time of the year! Merry decides to investigate, starting with the "who benefits" point of view. Well, it turns out that there are a lot of possible beneficiaries, including the neighboring town, Sue Anne who thinks the current mayor may suffer and she might win the upcoming election, and even poor Kyle, a nice guy unfortunately involved with the flighty Jackie, who, with Nigel gone, might be better set up to get her. Ah, the thick plottens!

Started the thread for the second part, so have a look!

I agree that it is getting hard to keep all the characters straight. And who is good and who is bad. Most of the men seem to be pretty good. Certainly Merry's Dad/Santa is great. Her two "suitors" Alan and Russ, also seem to be good so far. Alan quiet but Russ not so much. Betty (I keep reading Becky Thatcher!) not good at all, as well as the original police woman on the murder scene. Sue Anne, the mayoral candidate also seems not too likable. Merry's Mom is nice but pretty eccentric.

I get Hallmark but not Hallmark Movie. Oh, well.

I'll start part two Tuesday, but continue the discussion here till we're all caught up.

I looked for Plum Pudding but didn't find it on my TV dish.

I wonder if having Christmas all year long would kind of take away the "sparkle" that we love so much about it?

Anyway, there does seem to be at least one nasty person in town, the woman who is Merry's competitor, who sells the apparently chintzy holiday stuff and is after the visiting English travel writer.

Well, here we are with our December discussion! First of all, those of us looking for a book steeped with Christmassy atmosphere, this is certainly it. The action takes place in the town of Rudolph, New York, on the south shore of Lake Ontario. (This is apparently necessary to ensure that there will be snow throughout.) Our protagonist is Merry Wilkinson. (Yes, Merry!) Her mother is a former opera singer and her father, Noel, is the local Santa Claus. We enter the story while there is a Christmas Parade going on and Merry, who owns a business called Santa Claus's Treasures, has a float in it. Mishaps ensue but the presence of an English travel writer livens up the community, as he tries to capture the holiday focus the town has. Pretty early on, a body is found by Merry and her pup, Mattie.

I'll be ready to start the discussion on Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen tomorrow, December 1st!

I'm reading something else right now but since I will be off work until the 30th (after today) I may get a head start and begin the discussion. Was anyone else planning to lead us? I don't want to step in if there was someone else.