Saturday, June 19, 2010

A Slice of Murder

A Slice of Murder

Chris Cavender

3 out of 5

First off I always feel duped when a cozy writer writes multiple series with different names. I can understand when you change genre you might want to change an authors name, but when you write within the same classification, why not use one single name.

Well, that rant being said, Eleanor is trying to make ends meet by continuing to run a pizzeria, A Slice of Delight, which she and her recently deceased husband had started together.

Near closing one evening she is called to make a delivery to Richard Olsen, but instead of getting the delivery tip she was anticipating, she is accused of his murder when he is discovered with a knife sticking out of his chest.

Though interesting, the storyline follows the rather typical pattern of amateur sleuth, ditzy sister and a small host of people that both lookout for each other and point fingers at the same time.

This is not the worst in the genre that I have read, and thank goodness, there was not a cleaver cat to help solve the mystery, but for the most part, there wasn't anything to really draw the reader back for more. Whether Cavender is writing as Tim Myers, or Elizabeth Bright or Melissa Glaser, the stories all fall within the same typical cozy mystery pattern.

If you are looking for easy entertainment, it is a good read, there are a few choppy points that had me wondering, but if you do not look too closely and like your mysteries on the light side, give it a try.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Ack - another pseudoname for Tim Myers..or is this his real name. I can't keep track of this author. I have to admit I have enjoyed the series I've read or started by this writer - which happens to be most of them. Glad this one was enjoyable, even though it's not a favorite.

I, too, get annoyed when an author uses different names for the same genre. What's the point? But several are doing it. I can see using a female name if you are male (or the other way around) because some books do sell better when the author is thought to be of a certain gender. But still..enough is enough.