Lauren Carr: Too Many Pics? Not For A Cat Lover!

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Shades of Murder:
  A Mac Faraday Mystery

By Lauren Carr 


It seemed only right that I picked up Shades of Murder by Lauren Carr this weekend...

After all, one of the murders had taken place on that same weekend several years ago...

But, with the third Mac Faraday mystery, Carr has outdone herself and given us a double-whammy! Not only two murders, but two sets of investigators! I won't say it's the best because I love them all... And, don't get me wrong, I love Gnarly, who in this novel succeeds in preventing the theft of a valuable painting...

"When Joshua pulled up to park behind her car, he
saw that her attention was divided between him
and something next to her on the tailgate. At first,
he thought it was a doll or stuffed animal that she
was stroking. Then when he pulled his SUV up
closer, it rolled over to let her scratch his tummy.
It was a live animal with long black fur...and a
white stripe...down the length of its back. Is that
a skunk she's petting?...
"The animal paced back and forth on the tailgate.
As if she might be unaware of what she had been
petting, Joshua asked her in a low voice, "Is that
a skunk?"
"No." She dug into the bag for the milk. "That's
Irving. He's a Maine Coon. He only looks like a
skunk.
"That's a cat?" Carrying the shakes, Joshua went
up to the tailgate for a closer look.
"Irving was much larger than a skunk. With his
silky black and white coat, which had the identical
markings of a skunk, and white tufts that shot out
of his black ears, he could be easily mistaken for the
odious forest creature.
"Seeing food coming his way, Irving rose up on his
hind legs to inspect the milkshakes..."

But, wow, a Maine Coon who is black with a long white stripe! Who does indeed look like a skunk! Hey, you can't beat that for a new character, now can you?!!! Of course, I couldn't show a real picture of him--after all, he's a big star by now, I am sure! But I did go out and buy the two books that were about the other character I had just met--Joshua Thornton, who had come on the scene earlier than Mac Faraday (see links to my reviews below for first two in this series), but have now been made available by Lauren Carr's new publishing company!

Anyway, while Joshua Thornton and Detective Cameron Gates, who travels everywhere with Irving, began working together on one murder, Mac Faraday began working on another murder. Quite interesting how they all got involved and you'll much enjoy that background. But let me tell you a little more about the latter since the book cover has the picture of that lady...

Once again Mac has received another inheritance. If you're a fan of his series, you may be caught off guard as I was when, in the Prologue, Robin Spencer is alive! So that's a tiny giveaway because she's really not, you know, as Mac has since inherited her fortune, home and Inn as a result of her death (in the first book). This time, one of Robin's old crime connections to gather information for her books, has left her a stolen painting that he had bought shortly after the murder of the woman in the painting, who was also the artist. Her last painting was now worth much!

But for Mac, it immediately presents him with what he loves better than the painting--a murder to be solved! The painting, by the way, also included smaller portraits of many of the people in her life--all of whom would now be considered "persons of interest..." Mac met first with the husband and realized that he was still heart-broken and probably had not been involved...so he went on from there!

But then as the investigations continue, soon Joshua and Cameron were on their way to Deep Creek, where Mac was! And they started talking...only to next have the FBI show up!

OK, I admit it! I believe this is the best yet from Lauren Carr! I loved the merge of characters from two different series and I hope to see more of this in the future! The complexity and meticulous details that allowed this shows what readers can expect from this author as she continues to excel as a mystery writer...Obviously, she's already a favorite author for me!

The emphasis on "whodunit" in Shades of Murder is bound to delight you as you stop throughout the book to mull over the clues, the characters, and consider who is guilty. I didn't identify that individual! Let me know if you did before it was revealed! Thoroughly enjoyable read for mystery lovers!


GABixlerReviews

Lauren Carr: Author, Publisher, Speaker

Lauren Carr fell in love with mysteries when her mother read Perry Mason to her at bedtime. The first installment in the Joshua Thornton mysteries, A Small Case of Murder was a finalist for the Independent Publisher Book Award. A Reunion to Die For was released in hardback in June 2007. Both of these books are in re-release.

Lauren is also the author of the Mac Faraday Mysteries, which takes place in Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. The first two books in her series, It’s Murder, My Son and Old Loves Die Hard have been getting rave reviews from readers and reviewers. The next book in this series, Shades of Murder, will be released May 2012. This will be Lauren’s fifth mystery.

Lauren’s sixth book, Dead on Ice, will be released in Fall 2012. Dead on Ice will introduce a new series entitled Lovers in Crime, in which Joshua Thornton will join forces with homicide detective Cameron Gates.

The owner of Acorn Book Services, Lauren is also a publishing manager, consultant, editor, cover and layout designer, and marketing agent for independent authors. This spring, two books written by independent authors will be released through the management of Acorn Book Services.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She also passes on what she has learned in her years of writing and publishing by conducting workshops and teaching in community education classes. If you would like Lauren to speak to your group or at your conference, please feel free to contact her.

She lives with her husband, son, and two dogs on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Visit Lauren’s websites and blog at:http://mysterylady.net/Home.html an

Acorn Book Services Website:http://acornbookservices.com/

Related articles

http://gabixlerreviews-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com/2010/08/review-its-murder-my-son-great-new.html

http://gabixlerreviews-bookreadersheaven.blogspot.com/2011/05/german-shepherd-gnarly-reads-sign.html

Stand-Ins for Admiral (Joshua's dog) and Irving...
"With five teenagers at home, Joshua had managed to keep order
in his home with the rule of no sleepover guests of the opposite sex. Since
he did little to no dating, he had never had to deal with the issue of
wanting his own friend to stay the night.
"It was as if Cameron had read his mind before he could issue the
invitation. They were eating ice cream on the back porch when she
announced, "I need to be getting home." There was a tinge of regret
in her voice.
"Irving and Admiral had become good buddies. While the huge dog
was stretched out to sleep on the porch, Irving had curled up in the
crook of his neck to catch a snooze.
"Are...you...sure...you...want...to do...that?" he asked between
kisses that started on her forehead, moved to her nost, then each
cheek, and ended on her mouth..."
"With a moan, she paused before saying, "No, Irving and I had to go..."

• Lauren Carr Interview and Giveaway