A Catered Tea Party
Available: August 30, 2016
Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The City Mouse (Bernie) and the Country Mouse (Libby) solve yet another murder in the sleepy town of Longley, NY. Normally this is a joy for me to read but there were so many aspects that disappointed me with this novel that its better in a list form:
When did I miss “A Catered Hospital Murder” because after usually having multiple mentions of father Sean and his WHEELCHAIR there was not one mention of the contraption in this book as well as a passage of him “flying down the stairs”.
Libby is 10 times more whiny in this novel than all of the others put together. In previous novels, she’s shut up when she shoved a piece of chocolate in her mouth. Hasn’t she learned to keep some with her at all times yet?
Are they ever in the store anymore? The only time these ladies were in A Taste of Heaven at night. While I know they have confidence in their employees (who are great characters who are missing from the story) how ‘bout some day to day management for them?
I miss the Marvin and Sean drives in the hearse while they also hunted for clues. Now that Sean is so whipped over Michelle he’s a joke of a character. And speaking of the boyfriends… why feature Brandon anymore since he is obviously just someone to feed the gang pretzels and beer? And could Libby finally spend the night with Marvin so she can get some? I bet then she wouldn’t be so darn whiny anymore.
What the %&&*$ was up with all of these super important plot things happening in front of the reader but not told to the reader until the absolute end? Why bother having a passage where So and So and What’s Her Face are talking and its filled with vague sentences like “And then he told her the truth but there’s no mention of the truth!
What I loved: Nothing. This was the worst book in the series and I’m really upset that I hated it so much because I have loved these characters for so long.
What I didn’t love: Grammar is a big deal and although “Politer” may have passed the spell check, its probably better to use “more polite.” (Scene where Bernie and Libby confront Madga at The Blue Heron). While I’m also a sucker for anything with a recipe, the 3 added at the end of my digital copy weren’t some of the terrific recipes mentioned in the book. While I understand that the book is about a tea party, blah blah blah, I think I would have rather had the recipe for the peach pie or assorted cookies mentioned in the actual novel.
What I learned: A series can jump the shark…
Overall Grade: C
