The Girl In The Green Raincoat: Review and Free Book

The Girl in the Green Raincoat
by Laura Lippman

HarperCollins/William Morrow Publishers
Copyright 2008, 158 pages, ISBN 9780061938368

Rating: 4/5

Quote from Book: "One man, three wives. Two dead, one missing."


My Plot Summary in 100 Words or Less: There's more to the missing girl in the green raincoat than private investigator Tess Monaghan ever imagined. She's watched the girl walking in the park every day with her dog. Then one day she spots the dog running through the park alone. What happened? The problem is that Tess can only watch the action from her bed. She's confined there in the final months of her pregnancy. Friends can help her do the legwork. And Tess has a strategic mind to unravel clues. But not everyone wants secrets revealed and Tess may find her pregnancy is more final than she intended.

My Reaction: Once you're in Lippman's grip there's no letting go until the climactic end. Lippman puts a new spin on Hitchcock's Rear Window and makes it her own. Told with style and plot twists even Hitchcock would find impressive.

Lippman knows how to write believable characters that readers connect with. And she can also send a chill up your spine when there's danger. I felt a roller coaster of emotions at the end.

After I finished the novel I couldn't stop thinking about the story. I finished on Tuesday and it's still lingering in my mind. There are messages to take away from the book and to learn from. One is about family and relationships. The most important message is one that I can't discuss for fear of spoiling the ending. My advice is to grab a copy of your own and see where the green raincoat takes you.

Win A Free Copy: Thanks to the slowness of media mail coming to Hawaii, I have two copies of The Girl in the Green Raincoat from the publisher. One is going to a lucky reader. Maybe you? The other stays in my private library. I'm not letting this one out of my sight. 

Limit Two Entries Per Person: Comment on this post and you're automatically entered. For an additional entry share this review on Facebook or Twitter. Leave a second comment that you've done so.

Contest is open to everyone. I'll even mail the book outside the United States. Winner to be announced on Sunday, February 6. A random number generator will select the winner.

My thanks to Trish at TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to be a host. Visit the TLC website for a list of blogs hosting this tour. An added Mahalo to Megan from HarperCollins for sending me the review copy.

For more information on award winning author Laura Lippman, visit her website and Facebook fan page.

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor
by Lisa Kleypas

St. Martin's Press, Copyright 2010
211 Pages, ISBN 9780312605865

Rating: Recommended

Quote From Book: "I didn't know turkeys could fly."


 Have you ever picked out a book because the setting is somewhere you've been to? That happened to me with Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor. This time I didn't have to buy the book, I won my copy on Lesa's Book Critiques.

If you haven't heard of Friday Harbor, it's located on the island of San Juan in Puget Sound. Anyone who grew up in Washington (like me) knows that San Juan Island's claim to fame is the Pig War. It was declared on the island back in 1859 between British and American troops. The only bloodshed was a pig which our side killed and was the reason war was declared.

While (fortunately) not part of Kleypas' book, her story does explore battles of the heart that her characters need to work through to find happiness. Along the way she drops in the atmosphere of coffee bars and island life in the Pacific Northwest. Not to mention potent men which caught this reader's attention.

Kleypas writes characters you want to get to know. And she adds humor to some of their situations. There's a Thanksgiving scene you won't want to miss. The book could have taken a more somber tone but Kleypas strikes a balance of believable emotions and situations.

So what's the story about? In a nutshell there's Mark who is raising his niece and involved with the wrong woman. Enter Maggie who runs a toy shop and is a widow with lots of past hurts. The two seem right for each other but too many obstacles may get in their way. You'll have to read the book to see if true love prevails.

When I was almost through reading I suddenly wondered what happened to Christmas. It's featured in the title. And the book cover shows sailboats lit for the holiday. As it turns out Christmas is only mentioned in the final fourteen pages. Which means you can enjoy Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor at any time of year.

Busy Body by M.C. Beaton

Busy Body
By M.C. Beaton

Minotaur Publishing, Copyright 2010
278 pages. ISBN 9780312387013

Rating: 4/5

Quote from Book: "What sinks of iniquity these little villages can be."

Have any of you read all twenty-one books in the Agatha Raisin series by M.C. Beaton? I've read seven so far and not in any particular order.

In case you've never met Agatha before, she's an ex-Londoner who now lives in the Cotswolds. Formerly head of a PR firm in London, Agatha now heads up her own detective agency. Think of her as a middle aged, more modern version of Miss Marple.

Plot Highlights

When the latest book, Busy Body, was released I decided to see what Agatha has been up to. Last time I checked she was getting married to James. Apparently it didn't work out and Agatha is alone again. I wonder if these two will ever get it right?

With her romantic life a mess and the holidays approaching, Agatha leaves England to spend Christmas in Corsica. The holiday she fantasizes doesn't materialize. Agatha throws in the towel to return to her village for Christmas.

During her brief absence a real Scrooge has been running around the village citing people for their decorations. The village can't even put up their holiday tree without being fined for safety violations.

Is it no wonder that this Scrooge ends up dead with so much animosity between him and the villagers? And the woman who may have seen his murder soon follows in the same path.

With two murders to deal with our Agatha has a lot on her plate. James makes an appearance again too but I'm not saying anything about a future romance. It's not until the next Christmas rolls around that Agatha can tie up all the loose ends.

My Thoughts

Busy Body can be read any time of year. While Christmas plays a role at the beginning and end, the plot moves between two continents over a twelve month period.

This is another fun cozy from M.C. Beaton that sparkles. With its rich character development and well thought out mystery, I was sad to see the book end. Spending time with Agatha is like visiting an old friend over tea. She's welcome in my home anytime.

If you haven't read an Agatha Raisin book you can start anywhere in the series. M.C. Beaton does a great job introducing facts from previous books. You'll catch up in no time.

What's your favorite Agatha Raisin novel?