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Avg. Rating: 3
A good mystery but...
This is a mystery lover's mystery, and I mean this in a pretentious way. The constant referrals to "classic" mysteries got a bit tiresome, and the large cast of characters was confusing at times. Exposing everyone's dark secrets in the first of a series doesn't seem like a good way to keep readers coming back. However, I have ordered the next in the series so maybe I'm wrong all around! The story is interesting, the mystery truly that, the characters (mostly) likeable, and the reveal surprising. In general, a good read.
Tiresome
I found the plot predictable, the characters boring and stereotyped, the flowery descriptions of the setting overwrought, and the name-dropping of mystery writers as irritating as my ex-boyfriend's account of his Sag Harbor softball team.
DEATH ON DEMAND (BANTAM BOOKS/1987)
REVIEW: Breezy, good humored puzzler by mystery fanatic/author Hart introduces her two charming protagonists: fiesty Annie Laurence and rich slacker Max Darling. Together they investigate a murder that (literally) lands right at their doorstep (or in this case ANNIE'S doorstep): as a noted author is killed during a gathering of mystery writers at Laurance's Death On Demand bookstore. When she herself becomes the local police chief's numero uno suspect: Annie and Max begin a race against time in order to unmask the killer and clear her name. Although the mystery itself is adequate enough: it is really the superb setting of Broward's Rock island, South Carolina; and the wonderful description (and welcomed map drawing) of Annie's shop that steals the show. Add to that the love/hate romantic chemistry between the two leads, the passionate name-dropping of numerous mystery writers, and the guess-the-title-of-the-book picture game that Laurence's customers (and the reader as well) try to solve: and you've got a fun, entertaining start to a most delightful series. HARSH LANGUAGE: about 156 (mostly) mild words. VIOLENCE: about 17 scenes and/or references. SEXUAL REFERENCES: only a couple off-the-cuff remarks. DRUG REFERENCES: a few scenes of drinking mint juleps and beer.
CONTENT RATING: Although it is a fun little mystery to work your way through, there is one major problem with Hart's first Death On Demand book: the bad language. There is a surprising (and unnecessary) amount of cussing that may shock some readers who desire a "clean" murder mystery (as if there is such a thing as a "clean" murder!!!). And even though most of the rough language is of the mild variety: there are still many times when God's name is taken in vain or used as a by-word. Thus I would have to give the book a strong CAUTIONARY rating mainly because of the profanity, but also because there is a good deal of descriptive violence and a couple of off-color sexual references. But if you can deal with the rough language that Hart liberally sprinkles throughout her charming story: then DEATH ON DEMAND makes for a pleasant "beach read".
Nice locale including cozy bookstore setting, but...awful
Annie, the bookstore-owning heroine is too immature for belief (she apparently runs a business but still has, as she admits, uncontrollable temper tantrums?? - try growing up) and she's not bright either (her denouement scene is a joke). Her attempts at investigation are totally unbelievable, but really unnecessary to the reader since the perp is obvious from the start. The cozy mystery bookstore and off-coast southern island locale, along with her charming, bad-boy Logan Huntzberger-style male sidekick are redeeming factors, but it isn't enough. I won't be reading anymore of this series. (By the way, stay far away from the Wheeler Publishing large-print edition. It is full and then some of the worst typos ever.)
Beginning of a Hunt
"Death on Demand" is the beginning a light hearted mystery series that keeps the readers coming back to visit the mystery bookstore. What intrigues the reader: the straight forward plot with a protagonist who plunges into danger, the shelves of the store filled with mysteries to make a bibliophile's' heart race, the five watercolors of famous mysteries to identify, a hapless hero who looks like one of the Hardy Boys or the vivid characters who live and work on Broward's Rock?
Annie Laurence and Max Darling are polar opposites and delightful. They make a fun read, which is what a good series is all about. The books, movies, and characters used in the story make it richer and lead one to other great mysteries.
Nash Black, author of "Sins of the Fathers" and "Travelers."
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