BY CAROLYN HART
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Solving puzzles comes naturally to Annie Darling, cheerful owner of the Death on Demand mystery bookstore on the lovely sea island of Broward's Rock. Annie is aided and abetted by her admiring husband, Max, who runs an unusual business that offers help to people in trouble.A recent death appears to be suicide, but Annie suspects murder. To solve the case, she unravels the mystery of a towel hidden at midnight in a gazebo, the lack of fingerprints on a crystal mug, blood on a teenager's blue shirt, and the secret of a lovers' tryst.
Annie believes she has set the perfect trap for a merciless killer until her cell phone rings and Death whispers in her ear.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Carolyn Hart writes the Death on Demand series set in a mystery bookstore on a South Carolina sea island, the Henrie O series featuring retired newspaperwoman Henrietta O’Dwyer Collins, and launched the Bailey Ruth Raeburn series with an impetuous redheaded ghost as the sleuth.
Ghost at Work, 1st in the Bailey Ruth Raeburn series, was published in October 2007. Bailey Ruth returns to help someone in trouble. She moves a body, investigates a murder, saves a marriage, prevents a suicide, and—in a fiery finale—rescues a child who knows too much.
Letter from Home, a WWII novel set on the home front, received the Agatha Award for Best Mystery of 2003. It was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize by the Oklahoma Center for Poets and Writers. Thirteen-year-old Gretchen Gilman is working for the small-town newspaper during the hot summer of 1944. Murder occurs on the street where she lives, forever changing her life and the lives of those involved.
Hart was one of 10 mystery authors featured at the National Book Festival on the Mall in Washington, DC, in 2003 for Letter from Home and again in 2007 for Set Sail for Murder, 7th in the Henrie O series. In Set Sail for Murder (new in paperback March 2008), Henrie O joins a troubled family on a Baltic cruise and death is an unwelcome passenger.
Hart has been nominated 9 times for the Agatha Award for Best Novel and has won 3 times. In 2007 she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at Malice Domestic.
Hart is a native of Oklahoma City, a journalism graduate of the University of Oklahoma, and a former president of Sisters in Crime. She is also a member of Authors Guild, Mystery Writers of America, the International Association of Crime Writers, and American Crime Writers League.
To read more about Carolyn Hart, visit her website HERE.
MY THOUGHTS/REVIEW:
Carolyn Hart seems to have cornered the market on what is now being called "cozy mysteries" but don't let that put you off if that is not your favorite genre. This is a tight, well written mystery with well developed characters in the husband/wife team of Annie and Max Darling, and a glorious setting on a sea island but better yet, a book store! What reader doesn't love the thought of the mystery taking place in and around a mystery book store called Death on Demand? This pair of independent book shop owners are also amateur sleuths. They not only run a great shop, and handle some complicated mysteries, but are a team that is supportive of each other and a joy to read about.
This addition to Hart's series starts when a worker for the Darling's, Pat Merridew, dies and they label it a suicide which we all know Annie would never sit back and not investigate if she thought other wise...and she does! Solving this mystery with all the twists and turns of a roller coaster at your favorite amusement park will have you turning pages and enjoying every one of them. I just think that Carolyn Hart writes smart mysteries and this is no exception. It is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours and if you haven't read her work before, now is your chance!
GIVEAWAY
THANKS TO CHELSEY AND FRIENDS AT
WILLIAM MORROW/HARPER COLLINS, I
HAVE ONE HARDBACK COPY OF
DEAD BY MIDNIGHT AND I HAVE A NEW
COPY OF MY OWN TO ADD TO THAT SO
TWO LUCKY READERS CAN WIN!
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!
HOW TO ENTER:
+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT YOU READ ABOVE ABOUT DEAD BY MIDNIGHT AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FIND INTERESTING WHEN YOU VISIT AUTHOR CAROLYN HART'S "FUN STUFF" AT HARPER COLLINS WEBSITE HERE
+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG AND/OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK HERE AND LEAVE ME YOUR LINK
+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT IF YOU SUBSCRIBE TO MY BLOG AND IF YOU DON'T, YOU CAN SIGN UP EASILY IN THE LEFT HAND BAR AND EVERY DAY MY POSTS WILL COME TO YOU DIRECTLY!
72 comments:
I'm always open for a good mystery novel. I liked what Carolyn said on her web site: "I love to have fun when writing a mystery. If I laugh, I think a reader will laugh." I've never read any novels from this author ... I will have to change that! I like cozy mystery novels. GREAT Review.
I am interested in this mystery and a new author for me. thanks. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com
The author has won the Agatha award. rojosho(at)hotmail(dot)com
I would enjoy this mystery which is unique and compelling. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
I am an e-mai subscriber. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
Carolyn Hart has so many wonderful books that I should read. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
Love mystery novels! This looks like a fun one!
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I'm a subscriber to your blog!
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I love Carolyn Hart. She is the Queen of cozy mysteries!
lag110 at mchsi dot com
Her worst quality if her quick temper.
lag110 at mchsi dot com
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/lag32583/status/74078801444876288
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Yes, I subscribe via email and look forward to your daily posts.
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I love murder mysteries. Please enter me in contest. The book sounds really good. Tore923@aol.com
I read some of her books a long while ago, and forgot how much I liked them! I'm always up for a good mystery, especially is there is a bookstore in the background.
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May Facebook Fan bonus entry
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Carolyn Hart's cozy's are always good reading with this one set in an amusement park, it should really be fun.
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On the author's fun stuff page she says she's been writing for 40+ years--WOW---and her writing is still not stale!
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I see that Carolyn Hart has written some great books. I'm gonna have to checked them all out!
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I went to Carolyn's "FUN STUFF" and read her most embarrassing moment was…
while walking in New York with editor Kate Miciak, one of her knee-hose sagged gently to her ankle.
*giggles I love it!
mamabunny13 at gmail dot com
I like the sound of this plot. I love a good mystery. garczynski (at) aol (dot) com
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What could be better than a mystery with a husband and wife team and bookstore by the sea! I really want to read this one. I like to put the book down and try to figure out the puzzle before reading more. Great review. Love pageturners!!!
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My Twitter name is Carolee888 and I tweeted:
http://bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com/2011/05/dead-by-midnight-review-and-giveaway.html Giveaway of "Dead by Midnight'.
Yes
I do subsribe to your blog for me that is the best to keep up with the postings.
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I love cozy mysteries, and I have read her other books. They are always fun to read.
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"...her cell phone rings and Death whispers in her ear." That hooked me!
kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com
Her worst quality is her quick temper.
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+5 May Bonus for FB fans.
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I am an email subscriber
Mash1195 at aol dot com
I always love reading your thoughts and reviews on books. I probably would have passed this book by as one of the 'cozy mysteries' like you mentioned. But I do love a good mystery and you said this was a good, well-written one, so I would like to read it. Thank you for the chance.
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It sounds like a good mystery to snuggle up with my little dog and enjoy.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
She likes Mexican food, especially tacos de asada
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Enjoyed the review and I would love to read Dead By Midnight. I love a good mystery and I absolutely love the cover of Dead by Midnight.
Smiles,
Cindy W.
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Smiles,
Cindy W.
countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com
I visited Carolyn's fun facts and appreciate the fact that she acknowledges having a quick temper.
Smiles,
Cindy W.
countrybear52[at]yahoo[dot]com
husband and wife as amateur sleuths sounds fun
tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com
As always, you bring us the BEST mysteries! I mean what's not to love about a detective duo that are a couple, and a bookstore by the sea (wow, that's almost like my dream!). Thank you for hosting this giveaway! :D
~Hira~
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When I visited the "Fun Stuff" section for Carolyn Hart on the site, I learned that Carolyn loves Tacos de Asada, and Mexican food. Well, what a coincidence, I happen to LOVE Mexican food - both cooking and eating it. I think it just comes with the territory, if you ask me, living in California and all :D
~Hira~
GFC Follower: ~Enamored Soul~
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I tweeted the giveaway:
http://twitter.com/#!/inluvwithbookz/status/75524919437443072
~Hira~
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I'm a confirmed email subscriber of your blog.
~Hira~
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It sounds like a good puzzle
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Interesting she planned on being a foreign correspondent
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This sounds like a great mystery. I love that the bookstore is named Death on Demand. I would really enjoy reading this cozy mystery. Please enter me. Thanks!
ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net
In the Fun Stuff I read that she was embarrassed while walking in New York and her knee-hose sagged to her ankle. I know how she feels, because it has happened to me too.
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One can never have too many mysteries to read. They are always my go to genre when everything else seems to be getting me nowhere.
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I love mysteries and I haven't read anything by this author. Sounds very interesting.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
Her favorite tv show is ESPN baseball.
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First of all, I luv Carolyn Hart. I know whole book family. There is the wife who owns Dead on Demand. There is Max, the husband and the mother in law and the two cats. I've luved every book I've read by her. I haven't read them all. It's a goal. In this one I would like to know who left the mystery towel at the gazebo at midnight. Hmmmm...
teakettle58(at)yahoo(dot)com
At this time Carolyn Hart is really liking Hawaiian music. Since she's a favorite author, I will listen to some Hawaiian music from somewhere on the internet today. What a riot~lol.
I tweeted about the giveaway on twitter @ topazshell5.
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Sounds like another great Hart read—I'm looking forward to it!
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