Parker Posey Books

excellent - highly recommended

Kate White's books are all fun to read and easy to lose yourself in. This one is no exception! Perfect to stash in a beach bag and read when you have a whole day to devote--you won't want to put it down! It's not a "lowest common denominator" kind of mystery--it's actually quite thrilling without being too twisted to follow. I loved every minute, and look forward to reading more of Kate White's books.

Fun read. The author leads you to believe everyone is guilty. Definitely a book to make any commute bearable.

I really enjoyed this book-- it was funny in places, spooky in others, and interesting all the way thru. But one thing was never explained, and I'm wondering about it. There was a long section about a man breaking into Landon's house while Bailey was there alone, and the storyline led the reader to believe he was after her. Nothing ever came of this, and was not later explained when the killer was revealed. What was that break-in all about? Someone want to tell me?

I liked the book If Looks Could Kill.
I thought it was great murder mystery.
The characters in the book were very interesting.
The book kept you interested until the very end.
If you love a murder mystery pick up this book and read it.]
It is highly recommended.

I was more impressed with this book than I'd imagined I'd be. Though White can't hold a candle to authors like Elizabeth George, P.D. James, and Sue Grafton, she does have a knack for a chatty style that is interesting and involving and draws the reader in. The drawback to this style, though, is that the story tends to get too bogged down by details that don't have much to do with the main plotline.

Bailey is a good character but feels a little too stock. She has a backstory and feelings but, at times, she's too given to dialogue that sounds stilted and cliched--especially when someone has done something to give her offense. She sounds like someone at a customer care hotline who's trying to diffuse an angry customer. Still, I liked her well enough and feel that over time and with some additional development she could turn into a pretty engaging character.

The mystery itself was fairly interesting though some of the more mundane details of Bailey's life tend to overwhelm it. The reader didn't really need to know every last dish Bailey orders and this was page space that could have been better served by using it to further develop the central murder mystery plot. The ending was too dragged out and Bailey does some truly and utterly dumb things that I think most rational human beings would know enough not to do but the mystery is tied up fairly nicely.

In general, this book makes for good beach reading and I feel the author can only get better with time. If, however, you're looking for a more nuanced mystery with complex characters, you'd be better served by reading one of the authors mentioned at the beginning of the review.