Homicide in Hardcover (Bibliophile Series #1)

waste of a great story line

If I could get my money back on this book, I would. What a big disappointment because with the setting of a book restorer who solves mysteries, my book friends & i had great hopes we found a new series to read.

The cover art markets the book as a "cozy", but why the author thinks that great girlfriends call each other bitc!*s & other street language at every turn is beyond me unless one is 16 years old.

I'm not a prude; I enjoy a wide variety of books, but this seemed a sad attempt to channel Janet Evannovitch, whose books are, of course, not cozies, just to juice up the story.

But the story didn't need "juicing up" with the street language.

It could have been a terrific series for us cozy readers & truthfully, I'm sad that she felt she needed street language to pull in readers.

6 out of 10 people found this review helpful.

Great cozy mystery with fun and humor

I'd have to say, I haven't laughed so hard at a book in a while. Brooklyn isn't your typical strong woman. She faints when she sees blood, she's well..whimpy. Yet there's nothing wrong with that. I thought she was filled with humor and wit, I found myself laughing at a lot of her thoughts and predicaments. What I found myself laughing more was her mother, who went into her mentras and chants when something was to go wrong. I think the entire story gets more kooky and crazy considering Brooklyn's mother and father were part of a hippie community.

The plot is good and evenly paced. There's a good amount of mystery and action. There's bits of humor into it which certainly makes the mystery lighter and a more fun read. What I really enjoyed reading was the way Brooklyn eliminates the possible suspects and eventually finds out who the real murderer is. It was an interesting process of elimination and also helps the reader find out who the killer might be. I was close, but not close enough.

I enjoyed Brooklyn and her kooky family. Her possible relationship with Derek was also fun to read as he annoys her to no end. Especially moments where he makes fun of her and although Brooklyn is pretty good at comebacks herself, sometimes she stays dumbfounded and attempts to think of something to say while Derek keeps egging her on. They do make an interesting couple - however I have seen better.

Overall, a great cozy mystery that ended just a little too, but the humor and fun plot made it all the worthwhile read. This one is great for the bibliophiles and cozy mystery lovers alike.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Wonderful New Series

This is Kate Carlisle's first book in her Bibliophile mystery series. I stumbled upon this book on accident and was immediatly drawn in by the cover and then even more so once what it was about. I could not put this book down. I have fallen in love with this author, this series, her writing style and most of all her characters. Brooklyn is the perfect female protagonist. She is very relateable and so funny.
A wonderful new series that I plan to keep up on and read as many as she will publish.
This is a wonderful book for mystery fans and just general book lovers alike. You don't have to be a huge mystery fan to love this book. It has romance, mystery, suspense, humor - it has it all.
I commend Kate for a wonderful job well done and am looking forward to her next book.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

You won't be able to put it down

I bought this book on a whim browsing in Barnes and Noble and I certainly don't regret it. The characters are interesting and the writing makes it hard to put down. I've read a lot of mysteries and have often been disappointed. But this is a true mystery with twists and turns and the continuing question of whodunnit. I can't wait for the next book in the series!

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Murder,Yes; Mystery, No

I was disappointed. Maybe this is a mystery for 20-somethings. Found the setting, the character motivations, the climax and the murderer improbable. By the time the ending was revealed, I didn't care anymore. Did not find the heroine/ sleuth engaging or particularly likeable. Characters' quirks were grating, rather than charming or funny or provocative. While I love leather-bound books and was (initially) interested in how they are restored, I now know more than I wanted to know!

2 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

A Booklover's Delight

It was with trepidation that Brooklyn Wainwright attended the showing of the rare book collection at the Covington Library. The guest of honor, Abraham Karastovsky, was responsible for the collection's restoration and was also Brooklyn's friend and mentor up until 6 months ago, when she told him that she was leaving to start up her own business. However, all seemed to be forgiven, so it¿s heartbreaking when Brooklyn discovered Abraham dying, leaving Brooklyn with a priceless edition of Faust and last words a strange clue. Brooklyn, now responsible for completing his last assignment to restore the priceless - and reportedly cursed - volume of Goethe¿s Faust has to discover who murdered Abraham in order to save herself from both the killer and the British detective in charge of protecting the Library's collection. The frustratingly attractive Commander Derek Stone delights in taunting and tantalizing Brooklyn, so she believes that it's up to her to solve the mystery that may be hidden in Abraham's books. Plagued by a psychotic stalker and former rival for Brooklyn's boyfriend, Brooklyn has to dodge attempts on her life, a break-in, visits with her commune family, and Gabriel, mysterious man in black who's definitely no angel.
Fans of Janet Evanovich will enjoy this surprisingly (for a bibliophile mystery) spirited and sexy novel. While I've never been fond of mysteries that have the heroine lusting for the detective while he suspects her of being a murderer, Carlisle makes this work as Brooklyn is just as irritated with herself for her feelings. Booklovers will enjoy the minutiae of book mending and lovingly detailed descriptions of the beautiful edition of Faust, and mystery readers will revel in the plethora of quirky, hilarious characters. My one complaint is that the novel ended too quickly, leaving me wanting to know more about her five commune-raised siblings and new age Deadhead mother. Thankfully, the series looks to continue with Brooklyn leaving for Edinburgh for a new job, so here's to the hope that Brooklyn's hilarious adventures with her family continue. Pick up Homicide in Hardcover in paperback as soon as you can.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Attention all book lovers!

I loved this book. It was a very good book. And educational. Who knew so much went into restoring antique books. I would definately recommend this series.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

the reverence of books!

Brooklyn Wainwright loves books. She treats them with reverence and had made restoring and repairing them her life's work. So when her teacher/mentor is murdered while working on the restoration of a rare book, and Brooklyn takes over, she resolves to find the murderer as well as restore the book.

This was a well-written first in a series cozy with good character development as well as good mix of characters. The mystery was well-plotted with several twists and turns and it held this reader's attention throughout. I'm looking forward to the next one.

Great mystery for bibliophiles

This was a lot of fun to read and well written!

homicide in hardcover

Her first book in this new series was very captivating and made me wanting the 2nd book already out very worth reading

nice cozy

strange ending

A Novel Murder! - Fantastic for book lovers and mystery solvers alike!

From the silly puns and almost believable main character, the first story of this series is a delight to be sure. Full of who-done-it and lovable side characters, it's an excellent way to relax and exercise your deductive skills. With a good cup of coffee and the rain pattering on your windows, this book is a perfect afternoon read.

Great Book

I really like this series. I am fascinated with the book restoration process and the rest of the story is good as well. I was kind of disappointed towards the end because I felt the last part of the story was kind of rushed. Things just came together too quickly. The "romance" between Brooklyn and Derek did not grab me at all. The characters just don't seem a good fit. Maybe in later books it will get better. I have already purchased the remainder of the books in this series and have put aside a series I am currently reading for this one.

Aa Fun book

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Highly recommend it!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Recommended!

Kate Carlisle created an awesome series with a bang! It combined the perfect amount of mystery, suspense, and romance to make everyone sit on the edge of their chairs. But, it also made reader's so indulged that I lost track of time! It was awesome and I am completely in love with the series! I'm currently reading the third book of the series, and I'm loving every bit of it! Thank you Kate Carlisle and bon chance!

Brooklyn is so cute, sophisticated, and intelligent, an ideal girl heroine for everyone! But her weaker, more feminine side when she's with Derek is accented so well that it makes me want to become friends with her. The concept of the commune in Dharma is also a fantastic setting.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Bibliophile

Different approach to a standard premise- murder. However, I liked the book restoration information and the inclusion of Sonoma County. A good, light read, but don't expect heavy prose. I will continue to pick up this series for a stray moment.

A quirky San Francisco Bay area setting hits the mark.

Bookbinding details and memorable characters keep this story engaging.

Loved this book.

Great book.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

What a Fab Read!

I liked everything about Homicide in Hardcover, from the quirky, interesting characters to the deliciously fast-paced plot. Ms. Carlisle's writing style is original, and so smooth that you're into the book and involved in the charcters before you know it. I was well into chapter three before I realized I was still standing rooted in the bookstore aisle, blocking other patrons! Ha! Its a top read for the year for me and a definate keeper!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Good Little Mystery

It was good little read for a Sunday afternoon. I enjoyed it and would buy her next book.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.