Mayhem at the Orient Express (League of Literary Ladies Mystery, #1)

by Kylie Logan

Three amateur sleuths call upon their inner Agatha Christie when murder strikes their small town in the first League of Literary Ladies mystery...

Most folks aren’t forced by court order to attend a library-book discussion group, but that’s just what happens to B & B proprietor and ex-Manhattanite Bea Cartwright, hippy cat lover Chandra Morrisey, and winery owner Kate Wilder after a small-town magistrate has had enough of their squabbling. South Bass, an island on Lake Erie, is home to an idyllic summer resort, but these three ladies keep disturbing the peace.

The initial book choice is Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, and that sets their mouths to watering. The Orient Express is the island’s newest Chinese restaurant. They might not agree about much, but the ladies all love the orange chicken on the menu. But their meal is spoiled when the restaurant’s owner, Peter Chan, has the bad fortune of getting murdered. Now, with Christie as their inspiration, the League of Literary Ladies has a real mystery to solve...if they can somehow catch a killer without killing each other first.

• ISBN10: 0425257754
• ISBN13: 9780425257753
• Publish Date: 4 June 2013
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Berkley Publishing Corporation,U.S.
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 304
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780425257753

Reviews

[Mystereity Reviews]

After hearing a lot of buzz on how good this book is (I won't name names, ahem) I finally gave it a try and I'm glad I did. It was a quick and fun read, and it was easy to settle in to the setting. The plot was fairly basic and the characters not well rounded but it's the first book in this series, which gives it room to grow. But very enjoyable, it kept my attention more than I probably should have allowed (oh well, the dishes can wait) and I hope the next book in the series isn't far off.

[MurderByDeath]

I ::Loved:: this book! I never say that about firsts-in-series; most of them are a bit clunky and awkward, as the author is getting to know their characters on paper for the first time. This book was just excellent and I felt like it took off from the first page.

I love the setting - an island 12 miles into Lake Michigan. That just invites quirky characters and eccentricities. And the location allows for weather of all kinds - a spring blizzard in this book, allowing the setup to work perfectly.

The POV is first person, but it's set up in a way that's a *bit* like Bea is talking directly to you - not irritatingly so - just enough that her personality really comes through, and I love her personality. She's smart, accomplished, wealthy AND she has a past. But instead of dumping it all out on you right at the beginning, there are just small comments; reactions to things that hint at bigger things and again, not in an irritating fashion; the action is fast paced and interesting so you aren't feeling like you're being teased (too much) or led around by a hook. I'm pretty sure I know what her former career was, and she comes right out and eventually shares what brought her to the island and a new life, but there's still so much to learn!

The other characters are all introduced almost at once, but each is so unique I didn't have any trouble keeping them straight. I like Kate's character; Chandra is just a wee bit too much of a caricature at points, but she shows a streak of mischief I really like! And oh my heaven, Levi. Ms. Logan's other series (which I genuinely like a LOT) has a sweet romance sub-plot that you find yourself cheering for. But this series and Levi - HOT! Love the banter between him and Bea; the author does an excellent job making the tension between those two vivid. And he just screams "man with a past!" to me - I hope I'm not wrong. Kate has a possible love interest as well who intrigues me - I want to know more about him as well - and Chandra is too busy having fun looking back. ;)

Finally, the plot - well done Ms. Logan, well done. I never had a clue who the villain was - lots of suspects, disparate clues - and when it was revealed, well, I read a lot of cozies, and I'm not saying it's never been done before, but this is the first time I've seen it.

I can't wait to read more about these three. Ms. Logan has set the bar high for herself with this one; I hope it's a sign of things to come. I found this book to be a breath of fresh air in a genre that's been threatening to stale for some time now. I'll be eagerly awaiting word of book two!