Great Escapes Book Tour Book Review: The Sound of Murder

The Sound of Murder
An Ivy Meadows Mystery Book 2
Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Henery Press (October 6, 2015)
Paperback: 256 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1943390014
E-Book ASIN: B0117YNQPS

Synopsis

“This gut-splitting mystery is a hilarious riff on an avante-garde production of ‘the Scottish play’…Combining humor and pathos can be risky in a whodunit, but gifted author Brown makes it work.” – Mystery Scene Magazine (on Macdeath)

All Ivy Meadows wants is to be an actor. And a private investigator. Plus she’d really like a pair of clean underwear, a place to stay since her apartment burned up, and to overcome her fear of singing in public. Also, she’d really like to knock the socks off the big New York producer who’s coming to Arizona to see her in the world premiere of The Sound of Cabaret—featuring singing nuns and Berlin burlesque—at Desert Magic Dinner Theater.

Ivy’s cast mates come through with singing lessons, a pair of granny pants, and a housesitting gig in a retirement community. And her P.I. uncle even assigns her a real case. But all is not raindrops on roses. During her investigation, Ivy clashes with the local posse, stumbles upon a firebug and a snoring pug, and finds herself smack in the sights of a serial senior-killer.

Books in the Ivy Meadows Humorous Mystery Series:

MACDEATH (#1)
THE SOUND OF MURDER (#2)
OLIVER TWISTED (#3) February 2016

Review: The Sound of Murder is book 2 in the Ivy Meadows mystery series.  Actually its called a humorous mystery series, and from the beginning with her setting fire to the kitchen, which we find is something common for her, the laughs start coming.

When a mistaken address causes her to find a man who possibly committed suicide things start to heat up and there's a mystery to solve, along with a musical to put on. Ivy is involved in a mash up called The Sound of Cabaret. But erm, she can't sing in public, all the while she wants to be a PI. She definitely has some interesting career goals.

Ivy (her real name is Olive Ziegwart) isn't the brightest crayon in the box, and sometimes she seems a bit lazy, but she's likable. Its hard not to compare her at times to Stephanie Plum. I mean, her car is almost always on fire! But if you want to keep up with the Plum comparisons, she has some crazy friends, but she is very loyal. I have to admit there were times when I wanted to shake her and tell her to prioritize, because she can't get things done.

The musical really adds a lot of the humor to the story. I can't begin to explain the mash up of The Sound of Music and Cabaret, but when you read the lyrics, you will be hard pressed not to laugh out loud. Plus the cast are fab. I love Marge and Bitsy is well, more than a little bit obnoxious.

Watching her stumble through the musical while trying to solve her mystery is hilarious. I really need to go back and read the first book in the series, Macdeath.


Rating: 4 flowers

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