Description (from cover):'After the death of Elizabeth Parker's great-uncle Martin Reynolds, the family's house in the picturesque Maryland town of St. Michaels is sold. When the new owners dig up the pool, they find the body of the man thought to have run off eight years earlier after embezzling over a million dollars from the family business.
This grisly discovery not only unearths old questions about what really happened to the stolen money, but it brings Detective Joe Muldoon back into the family's lives. Eight years ago Elizabeth's cousin Ann reluctantly broke off her relationship with Joe due to family pressure. Ann always regretted that decision and now fears that it is too late for her and Joe--especially after she becomes the main suspect.
In this clever and entertaining mystery, rich with echoes of Jane Austen's Persuasion, Elizabeth tries to match wits against a killer who;s had an eight-year head start as she also tries her hand at matchmaking. Mystery lovers are in for a treat.'
My thoughts:
I think what makes a book really special is when you can really relate to a character. Elizabeth Parker reminds me so much of myself with the things that she comes up with and the thoughts that she keeps to herself. She likes to second guess everything and over-analyze things and I know that I am also like that. I like the way that she thinks about things and it really resonated with me as a reader because I would typically think about things the same exact way. I also enjoy the fact that this author always has a slew of suspects. It's almost like everyone had motive and everyone had opportunity, but who is the killer? Every time that I think I have it figured out, I am wrong and the story goes in a different direction.
This book was hard to put down. Not only for the Jane Austen references, but because it was just an overly enjoyable book. For some reason, a lot of the reviews that I have read about the books in this series, just make me sad. While this book doesn't work for others, it kept me very entertained and intrigued from the first page until the very end. I am almost skeptical about whether the other reviewers really gave this series and this author a chance. While I am guilty of the same at times, I just found this book to be something that I really enjoyed. Alas, the beauty of reading and the fact that not every reader interprets a book the same way.
Elizabeth Parker is a character that I want more of. I am sad to say that I only have one more book left in this series and then I'm done. From the author's website, it doesn't look like there are any more books in the works and that is just as almost devastating as finishing a series you enjoy. I am hoping that this author continues with this series, because I simply cannot get enough of the whimsical characters and the abundance of clues and suspects. This mystery series has kept me on my toes and I am so hoping that there are more coming.
Overall Rating: 5
Title: Murder Most Persuasive
Author: Tracy Kiely
Series: Elizabeth Parker Mystery #3
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: August 30, 2011
Pages: 304
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Get It: Amazon; Barnes & Noble
Disclaimer: This book was purchased by myself and I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.
