May Day: A Murder-by-Month Mystery (Mira James Mystery, #1)

by Jess Lourey

Minneapolitan Mira James has been taking it easy since college graduation--too easy. Due to a dead-end job and a cheating boyfriend, the Twin Cities have lost their charm, and Mira decides to begin a new life in rural Battle Lake. Right away she is offered jobs as an assistant librarian and part-time reporter, and falls into an unexpected romance with a guy who seems to be the perfect man until he turns up dead between the reference stacks her tenth day on the job.

Anxious to learn more about the man who had briefly stolen her heart, Mira delves into the hidden mysteries of Battle Lake, including a old land deed with ancient Ojibwe secrets, an obscure octogenarian crowd with freaky social lives, and a handful of thirtysomething high school buddies who hold bitter, decades-old grudges. Mira soon discovers that unknown dangers are concealed under the polite exterior of this quirky small town, and revenge is a tator-tot hotdish best served cold.

A hip, humorous, and gripping account of small-town murder, this novel is the first in a series of cozies featuring Mira James, an urban woman with rural Minnesota roots.

Praise:

"Jess Lourey writes about a small-town assistant librarian, but this is no genteel traditional mystery. Mira James likes guys in a big way, likes booze, and isn't afraid of motorcycles. She flees a deadend job and a deadend boyfriend in Minneapolis and lands up in Battle Lake, a little town with plenty of dirty secrets. The first person narrative in May Day is fresh, the characters quirky. Minnesota has many fine crime writers, and Jess Lourey has just entered their ranks!"--Ellen Hart, Lamda Award-winning author of Jane Lawless & Sophie Greenway Series

• ISBN10: 0738708380
• ISBN13: 9780738708386
• Publish Date: 8 March 2006
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 20 December 2016
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Llewellyn Publications,U.S.
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 288
• Language: English

Reviews

[Mystereity Reviews]

I read this several years ago but apparently didn't write a review. In fact, it's been so long since I read it that it felt like I was reading it again for the first time but with full knowledge of the characters and their stories. Made for an interesting read! I suggested this for the r/CozyMystery May book club read after I decided to re-read the series before I get into the final book (I've been putting it off because I'm not ready to say goodbye to Battle Lake and Mira. *sob*)

I love Mira. I would want her to be my BFF if we lived in the same universe. She's equal parts awkward, hilariously dark humored and a bit of an overthinker. Basically, she's me as a fictional character. And I think that's why I love this series so much, it's not often I find someone who comes up with worse jokes in bad situations than I do. And now that I think about it, it's all of the characters in this and all the books in the series that kept me coming back with each book. I know how the characters evolve as the series goes on, so it was a real treat to go back to where it started.

As for the plot, who killed archaeologist (and one time football star) Jeff and why? I loved the plot with all its twists and turns and Mira's fumbling attempts to investigate made it all the more realistic. I loved all of the funny moments along the way, from that party (had me laughing out loud!) to breaking into places to trying to spy on someone's conversation through a window, it was both comical and also...I mean, who wouldn't think along the lines that Mira did? Who wouldn't dress in black from head to toe to break into a house or sneak into a party? I probably would've done all of the things Mira did, which made it feel more authentic to me. And that creeptacular ending! Have to say, if you saw that coming, my hat is off to you. This was my second time reading it and I didn't even remember that ending.

Overall, this was a deftly plotted and well written debut in this series and one I definitely recommend.