a killer read

Title: A Killer Read

Author: Erika Chase aka Linda Wiken

Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime

Series: Ashton Corners Book Club, Bk 1

ISBN: 9780425247037

Pages: 283 + "Reading Lists"

Obtained: Library copy

My Thoughts:

I picked this up because it was a new cozy.  It had extra appeal because I knew it was book related.  But so many little details appealed throughout...

Lizzie is apparently a "reading specialist."  Cool job title, no?  She's helping find how classes can best teach and encourage kids to learn, helping individual students improve their literacy skills, and then teaching an adult literacy class.  If you've followed my blog you may know I have a special fondness for books that address or help with adult literacy.  Not only does this book address the issue, but it mentions a publisher/line that helps as well... Rapid Reads.  I personally have read 4 Rapid Reads books by 2 authors (Love You to Death, One Fine Day You're Gonna Die, and The Shadow Killer by Gail Bowen and Orchestrated Murder by Rick Blechta).  So there was a bit of a thrill.  Lizzie starts a mystery book club, something I would LOVE to do if only I knew people interested and willing.  They decide to call themselves Ashton Corners Mystery Readers and Cheese Straws Society, which I believe was based off of The Guernesey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows ... a book I enjoyed and consider one of my top new-to-me reads of 2010.  Throughout the book a number of references are made to cozy mysteries, both those I've read and TBR, in the quotes highlighting the beginning of each chapter (the quotes also originate from Agatha Christie and other mysteries/thrillers/suspense type books) and throughout the story itself.

If you haven't already gathered from the above this book thrilled my book and mystery loving heart.  But beyond that, I enjoyed the story (a mysterious murder just outside of where they meet for their first book club meeting), the supporting characters, and the Siamese cats.  I look forward to reading the next book, Read and Buried, due out (I think) in December.