Book Review: A Body at Book Club by Elizabeth Spann Craig

A Body at Book Club is the sixth book in the Myrtle Clover Mysteries by Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Quick Review (read on for the full review)

Loved it.  A great cosy mystery, with quirky characters and lots of humour.  Myrtle is fantastic. 5/ 5

Summary (from Goodreads)

This is one book club meeting that doesn’t go by the book.

When octogenarian sleuth Myrtle Clover discovers Naomi Pelter’s dead body during a book club meeting, the other members seem shocked. But Myrtle can read between the lines. Naomi had riled everyone up by flirting with other people’s husbands, arguing with neighbors, and generally making a nuisance of herself. Murdering troublemakers is the oldest trick in the book.

The book club members seem too sweet to be killers, but Myrtle knows better than to judge books by their covers. Myrtle’s investigation into the murder will take a more novel approach than her police chief son’s by-the-book methods. Can Myrtle and her widower sidekick uncover the killer…before he writes them off for good?

Favourite Quote

“Marathon?  For heaven’s sake, Miles.  Have you been drinking?  I’m in my eighties.  The only time you’re going to catch me running is if something really scary is chasing me.  Even then, I’ll probably just give in.’

Review

It was last Indie Only Month that I came across the wonderful Myrtle Clover Mysteries.  Very quickly the series worked its way into my favourite top five cosy mystery list. And, I think this might just be my favourite book in the series yet – but I’ve loved them all so it’s hard to tell 🙂  I do think this might be the funniest though.  Let’s get to the review proper…

First off – it’s all about Myrtle – she’s fabulous!  (As is Pasha the feral cat).  Mrytle might be in her eighties but that doesn’t stop her sleuthing.  I’m surprised she gets invited anywhere in Bradley anymore because wherever she goes someone always turns up dead.  But, I suppose at least she has the good grace to find out who the murder is.  Her neighbour Miles makes a great sidekick and Wanda the psychic is a hoot with the cryptic warnings and riddles she passes on to Myrtle.

For this mystery, I didn’t guess who the murderer was until just before the reveal, which always makes for a satisfying read. The book moves at a fairly rapid pace and the ending is just perfect for this story.  The dialogue is witty and realistic and the characters interact so well together.

If you enjoy cosy mysteries full of quirky characters and humour, I can’t recommend this series to you highly enough.  There is a high possibility that I might have to read another book in the series this month…

Rating