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Read Bound For Murder (2004)

Bound for Murder (2004)

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Genre
Rating
3.82 of 5 Votes: 2
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ISBN
0425199231 (ISBN13: 9780425199237)
Language
English
Publisher
berkley prime crime

Bound For Murder (2004) - Plot & Excerpts

I've just finished reading the third in Laura Childs's scrapbooking series set in New Orleans, Louisiana. I don't know about you, but as a Southerner, I get tired of authors who use the circa 1980's television show Designing Women as the basis for their stereotypical views of Southern women and the Southern lifestyle.The South is not populated by wealthy "women who lunch" and spend their time attending charity balls, making scrapbooks of their wonderful families, redecorating the family mansion and complaining about tourists and Yankees. We don't all have big hair or nicknames like "Baby", our husbands don't all hunt coon dogs or drive around with rifle racks in their pick-up truck, we don't all have "help" or weekly appointments at the beauty shop. Alternately, those of us who don't are not reduced to living in trailer parks, working in bars, and driving clunkers down dusty back roads to the family shack.As with the previous books in this series, Keepsake Crimes and Photo Finished, this "American cozy" is more travelog cum charactor study than mystery as it stumbles to a conclusion. Following the time honored tradition of authors who write themselves into a corner, Childs slap-dashes a hastily executed ending in deus ex machina fashion. With each book I remember more clearly why I quit reading the Tea Shop mysteries after number 3 or 4.As before, the things I enjoy about this book are the scrapbooking tips, descriptions of food and the pre-Katrina glimpses of New Orleans. I don't know if Childs has written any in the series that take place during or after Katrina, but if she has it will be interesting to see if the tone of the books change.

Book No. 3 in the Scrapbooking Mystery series. Carmela is creating custom place settings for a friend's pre-wedding party at a French Quater restaurant when she makes a shocking discovery - the intended groom, with a butcher knife protruding from his body. When the heartbroken bride asks her to look into the case, she can't say no. But Carmela soon finds that the victim had a much more shadowy past than he let on, and a menu of malicious meddlers is making things tougher than day-old gumbo for everyone involved. Now, Carmela just help her friend pick up the pieces while wrapping up a murder that has more than one lethal loose end.I've really enjoyed reading about New Orleans and the French Quarter and what life is like in that area.

What do You think about Bound For Murder (2004)?

I find these to be fun books. A quick, lighthearted read that I can jam in between heavier books, like The Book Thief.However, this one dragged quite a bit. The last 20 pages were interesting, and the plot "unraveled" there...but there could have been SO much more to keep the story going. It seemed like the last 20 pages of the book WERE the whole story.Also, I am nitpicky about bad editing. Unintentionally misspelled words seem to be popping up all over. It seems that many authors and publishing companies, this one included, rely entirely on spell check. It just annoys me when I run across a here when it should be her.
—Kylie

I like this series better than the tea shop, even though the author seems to be falling back on the same formula where the main character stumbles onto the solution rather than solves it.Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.5 stars... I loved this book! It has earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
—Dharia Scarab

It's hard to sympathize too much with a main character who not only is "pretty verging on stunning," but who has her own business, great friends, and a cute dog, to boot. The only flies in Carmela's ointment seem to be the dead bodies that constantly crop (no pun intended) up. The old "bad twin" card was played here, as was the wandering-around-the-graveyard-in-the-dark trick. A little too predictable, a little too light on realistic character development, and a little too cutesy. And would someone please get this woman an editor? "Courier" and Ives is just an embarrassment, as is the misspelling of "zydeco" in a book based in N'Awlins. Don't forget "commaraderie" (is that being on good terms with your punctuation?) and "mother load" (a truckful of maternal-types?). All the same, Laura Childs can write -- no doubt about that. I think she just needs to take a little more time plotting and writing to take this series to the next level.
—Lain

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