Resort to Murder by Carolyn Hart is 6th in Henrie O series and the first one I've read. I enjoyed it-a quick, easy read with prose that flows and characters that are easy to watch and relate to. The situation-the marriage of two older people whose children are opposed to the event-is not new but Hart's treatment is fresh and the presence of our amateur sleuth, the older (70+) Henrie's presence at her ex-son-in-laws nuptials puts a slightly fresh face on it.The setting is perfect for me-Bermuda in January, not too crowded and stunningly beautiful-is an absolute delight for me. I needed a trip to the beach and a stay at a luxury hotel.All this plus a possible ghost of a man who fell-was pushed? jumped? to his death the previous year. Is the bride simply a beautiful woman that men are drawn to or is she a femme fatale, emphasis on fatal!However, the book goes on a little too long and I guess the killer and his motive. still, I liked the book enough to go on to another Henrie O mystery. On the whole, I really enjoyed enough about the book to make it worth the reading time.
Retired investigative reporter Henrie O. accompanies her grandchildren to her former son-in-laws wedding. Recovering from a recent bout of pneumonia, Henrie is worn out and deeply bothered by the intense emotions surrounding the upcoming nuptuals. When a ghost is sighted, and a young man murdered, she's on the case asking the hard questions and probing where no one wants her. It's a hang on tight ride as Henrie O. tries to solve the myster in Resort to Murder!Just a terrific book! First rate mystery, exceptional writing, interesting characters and a hard to put down story. Carolyn Hart is such a good writer that it's a pleasure to read her work. I'm sad there's only one more book in this series. I wish she would come back to it, I like Henrie O SO MUCH better than her Death on Demand series! If you like sharp, well-written mysteries, give this book a try!
What do You think about Resort To Murder (2002)?
I admit, that I didn't have high hopes of enjoying this work when I checked it out -- I expected it to be a very cozy murder, and I've been away from that sub-genre for years. Hart has several series, and it may be that some are pretty darned cozy, but I was presently surprised by this book. Although I felt the audiobook reader was a bit bland, the idea of a retired journalist throwing herself into a murder investigation worked well. The murders were quiet and off-stage, but the killer's efforts to play with the lives and minds of some characters was a bit more thriller-esque than I was expecting and it helped to make the book for me. I'll definitely have to give more of Hart's work a try.
—Lisa C
I am not sure if I am getting used to Carolyn Hart's style of mysteries or not, but for once, I totally figured out who was responsible for the murders in this book.That is not to say that I did not find this story entertaining, because I did. I was disappointed to find a inconsistency in one instance by where Henrie O was sitting with a cup of coffee and a few paragraphs later took a sip of her tea. Call me quirky, but things like this really bug me.All in all, another great Henrie O story. On to the next book.
—Wilma
