The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle

The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle

Now that the book club and its characters have solved the murder of one of their own (in the first book, The Readaholics and the Falcon Fiasco), it’s time to see if their abilities extend to another case.

In The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle, the group is reading Murder on the Orient Express, a classic Agatha Christie mystery where everyone hates the villain. Similarly, Amy-Faye and her friends tackle a case where the dead man is widely hated. Only this situation also has a personal connection.

The body belongs to the business partner of Amy-Faye’s brother Derek. They’re opening a brewpub together, and the partner is found dead in a dumpster at the opening party. Derek’s the most obvious suspect, but others include the dead man’s loser son, who’s working at the pub; his ex-wife, demanding more money; his grieving sister; a janitor, out for revenge; and an organization set up to punishing cheating men.

The Readaholics and the Poirot Puzzle

Laura DiSilverio puts out enjoyable escapism. Some of the elements — such as the group of women publicizing their heartbreak — are a tad outrageous, but for the most part, the characters and their motivations are believable, with distinct voices and sympathetic stories. DiSilverio does a great job with settings, in particular, making the background substantial for the reader.

As I said before, I like spending time with her cast and their adventures. Although there’s risk involved, the events aren’t too heavy or disturbing, and it’s comforting seeing a group of mystery fans bring justice to their community.

This volume also has a short preview of the next book in the series, The Readaholics and the Gothic Gala. It sounds like it will be terrific, as Amy-Faye has to plan a multi-author signing at the local bookstore for women who write gothic novels.



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