An Affair To Dismember (Matchmaker Mysteries, #1)

by Elise Sax

"Three months has been Gladie Burger's limit when it comes to staying in one place. That's why Gladie is more than a little skeptical when her eccentric Grandma Zelda recruits her to the family's matchmaking business in the quaint small town of Cannes, California. What's more, Gladie is also highly unqualified, having a terrible track record with romance. Still, Zelda is convinced that her granddaughter has 'the gift.' But when the going gets tough, Gladie wonders if this gift has a return policy. When Zelda's neighbor drops dead in his kitchen, Gladie is swept into his bizarre family's drama. Despite warnings from the (distractingly gorgeous) chief of police to steer clear of his investigation, Gladie is out to prove that her neighbor's death was murder. It's not too long before she's in way over her head-- with the hunky police chief, a dysfunctional family full of possible killers, and yet another mysterious and handsome man, whose attentions she's unable to ignore. Gladie is clearly being pursued-- either by true love or by a murderer. Who will catch her first?"--Page 4 of cover.

• ISBN13: 9780345532220
• Publish Date: 29 January 2013 (first published 1 January 2013)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Out of Print: 24 November 2015
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Ballantine Books Inc.
• Format: Paperback (UK Trade)
• Pages: 320
• Language: English

Reviews

[MurderByDeath]

I'm not sure about this book - it was a mash up of sorts. The writing felt disjointed and the story not very tightly woven at all. The whole matchmaking-third-eye premise of getting Gladie back home is never really explained very well - is this gift supposed to be of a psychic sort? There are hints it might be, but then well, it's never explained. The murder mystery itself was all over the place - it's repeated again and again that the first two deaths are natural causes - so why is the police chief constantly around looking into things? Not really explained very well either. The plot has what it takes to be really interesting - and in honesty, I got very engrossed in the story, but the writing was so almost stream-of-consciousness that I really just felt the chaos.

Still, the characters are all really likeable and interesting - there's not mixing them up in your head because you can't tell them apart. Each is colourful and interesting in their own way. The men are of course, hot hot hot, though I'm firmly in the police chief's corner for some reason. I'm going to read the next book in the series because I want to find the story lines tighter and I'm hoping for a more cohesive book all around - Ms. Sax could have a winner of a series on her hands if she just pulls it all together better.

[Cocktails and Books]

Hilarious and fun, this book was impossible to put down! Gladie moves to California to be with her grandmother who wants her to take over the family business. But when her neighbor is found murdered, Gladie is determined to find out who the murderer is. With the help (or distraction) of two hunky men, she ends up biting off a little more than she can chew.

The characters in this book are incredibly well written. They are witty, beautiful, quirky and a whole lot of fun. Just like someone you'd more than likely find yourself friends with. Gladie is a great lead, comparable to Stephanie Plum in just about every way. Her two suitors, Holden and Spencer, are exciting, a bit mysterious, and super sexy! The secondary characters round out the story with humor and intrigue.

Remarkably well written, this classic whodunnit mystery is a fantastic first in what looks to be a promising new series.

Reviewed by Marie for Cocktails and Books