Homicide by Hamlet

Georgia Coast Cozy Mystery Series, Book 3

By: Lois Lavrisa

Narrated by: Rebecca Roberts

Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's Summary

Annie Mae has one last job to do before she retires from a 30-year career in academia: one week of summer theater camp. A camp she has worked at for so many years, she could do it with her eyes closed. Easy peasy. Until a team leader is murdered and all hell breaks loose, as everyone is a suspect and everyone has a secret. Will she find out the truth before she becomes the killer's next victim? Or will death be her swan song?

Find out in book three, Homicide by Hamlet, in the Georgia Coast Cozy Mystery series.

©2016 Lois Lavrisa (P)2016 Lois Lavrisa

Homicide by Hamlet

I actually listened to this series a while ago and forgot to review. The one thing I remember about this particular book is that the character and voice of the Annie Mae seemed very much younger than her reported age. I think it is tough to write for people over 60 and I find that usually writers/narrators come down on the other side - making the characters seem like shaky old people. I much prefer that they are portrayed an young and active than old and decrepit!

This is a nice cozy mystery series that I listed to while doing some mindless tasks at work. It made the time fly!

Typical cozy with some literature mixed in

This was an ok listen for me- I read a lot of cozies and it didn’t really stand out, but it was a good listen- probably not one I’ll re-listen to. I’m not much of a classical literature buff- but if you’re into that you might enjoy this more.

Homicide by Hamlet

So far in this series, this is the only book where the narrator did not really fit the main character. Rebecca Roberts did a wonderful job, but the main character is supposed to be in her 60's and she just sounded too young. Honestly I prefer the character sounding "too young" to some of the other series I have listened to where they make a 70 year old sounds old and creaky. It is a balance!

I can't say I was happy with how the loose ends were tied up on this one, but I did enjoy the mystery and look forward to the next

talk about painting a bull's-eye on your back

if this story was a cherry cobbler and you just dropped it on the floor well that's what you have a fine mess

Good

Good, easy to listen to and try to figure out who was the killer. Given audio for my voluntary review review and my honest opinion

To listen or not to listen, I vote yes

I am really enjoying this series. There are four books and each book is centred around one of a group of four friends as they get catch up in a murder investigation. So even though you know the characters it is like meeting different characters each time (especaily as each narrator is different too) and they each face very different cases with the help of one of the other members. They are a great group of friends and I love listening about them and can't wait to see what the author has in store for the remaining character and to find out if Cats dad's murder ever gets solved. You don't need to have listened to these books in order to enjoy but for a change I have and think any order is good just as long as you listen to them all. The mystery was good and I certainly did not see the end coming, so it was a big surprise when the killer was revealed. I don't think this book was quiet as funny as the others mainly because the two characters seem more grown up and respectable than the character of Cat, who doesn't think twice about climbing into dumpsters but it is still a good listen. Off to start the next book.
This is the last summer theatre camp for Annie Mae before she retires her academic career. The only problem is the drama won't stay on the stage. First her friend, Bezu's ex fiance is on the committee and has got engaged to one of the leaders and she has to brace her friend to see a lot more of him than either of them would like. Then one of the leaders tries to knock Annie Mae of her pedestal by claiming she is getting favours from one of the judges and her group of students is getting the benefit of that by having the best rehearsal space, never mind that they deserved it. The two of them had never been friends but that doesn't mean she would want her dead. Everybody knew where and when she was going to be back stage because Annie Mae set the time and place but who killed her? The suspect list is long because the dead woman liked to get her own way even if it meant a spot of blackmailing but who ever did kill her seems to be trying to frame Annie Mae and her friends. Bezu's car is used in a near hit and run, Gerald's food wrapper is found at the crime scene and even Annie Mae's own innocence is called into question after a fight. Can Annie Mae find the killer and is it connected to something in her past? Or will it be time for the final curtain call because as they say In show business the show must go on.
I liked the narrator she was quiet slow at speaking but did put a lot of drama in to her voice.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.