Josie Marcus, mystery shopper, becomes involved in a murder investigation when she discovers the body of a mean-spirited woman from her high-school days and a favorite teacher from that time is arrested for murder. I enjoyed reading about Josie as she follows her suspicions and copes with her daughter, mother, best friend and the fellow in her life. I don’t mind reading about loners, but dealing with a well-rounded, sometimes dysfunctional member of society is fun, too. Her cohorts give texture to the story. Plus, I liked the way Viets used family dynamics to deepen the story.But I have a BIAS alert. I really fell in love when Stuart Little, a Shih Tzu, entered the story. It may have been because my own Shih Tzu, Oscar Wilde, was keeping my lap warm as I read. Still, I think I would have enjoyed the book even without the dog. Funny how little things an author includes make a difference, though.The only flaw for me, and it’s a small one, was the behavior of the man, Cody, when he dealt with the women in the lingerie store. He seemed more distressed than I thought a man would be. But maybe I’m wrong, not being a man who finds himself in a frilly world of femininity. Any male readers care to comment on that?Overall, a fun cozy, even though the wintry setting was anything but cozy. Brrrr. I recommend the book for the humor, the characters and the writing. Josie's latest mystery shopping assignment takes her to a lingerie store, where her former high school gym teacher, Laura, is working. When the mean-girl from Josie's high school days is found murdered in the bathroom, the prime suspect is her former teacher. Josie breaks out her mystery solving skills to prove Laura's innocence.This is a light, entertaining read. There are several suspects for the murder, but Josie doesn't get into the sleuthing like she has with previous books. I felt like I was just reading in circles and the same old clues kept being rehashed, she learned one little tidbit about each suspect and that was it. The book was sort of like Josie's search for the real murderer, it was going nowhere. However, I enjoyed the interactions with all of the secondary characters in this series. Josie still lives with her mother, who helps out with raising Josie's daughter, and of course that means appearances by her nosey neighbor, Mrs. Mueller. Josie is trying to figure out her relationship with Ted, her veterinarian boyfriend, who seems to be just about perfect. And of course she gets help from her best friend, Alyce.Overall, not the best in the series. At times the conversations were stilted and they mystery fell a little flat. But it's worth the read just to keep up with what's happening in the series.
What do You think about An Uplifting Murder (2010)?
This is back to beingn less serious than the last two in the series. Much more enjoyable that way.
—dayday
