I couldn't put this book down! With the twists and the turns in the plot that keep the reader guessing "Who Dun It?", the danger lurking on every page, and the emotional attachment between Mira and the reader Ms Lourey receives 5+ stars for this one!
Helpful Score: 4
Ms. Lourey has created an anything-but-typical heroine in Miranda (Mira) James - a witty, cynical and somewhat embittered woman who moves to the small town of Battle Lake, Minnesota to housesit. While the Murder-by-Month Series has been classified by some as belonging to the cozy subgenre of mysteries, Mira is not your typical amateur female sleuth. She is hard hitting, hard talking, and hard drinking. If you're easily offended, this series might not be the best fit for you.
I will admit to initially being a bit put off myself (please don't let this be a cheesy romance novel disguised as a mystery - not that there's anything wrong with cheesy romance novels!). I did, however, come to thoroughly enjoy the main characters and the gorgeous setting, and also to admire Mira. One would have to be made of pretty tough stuff to endure the physical reminder of her father's folly on a daily basis as she did in high school. Kudos to Ms. Lourey for creating such a complex and sympathetic heroine. Mira reminds me of the words to a song by Saving Jane, âdon't mess with imperfection.â She is a perfectly imperfect protagonist.
In August Moon, Mira is disappointed in a man yet again, overindulges, and decides to leave Battle Lake even before her housesitting gig is up. She is passionate about her job as the local librarian, however, and won't leave before hiring and training a replacement. She sets about doing just that and also meets several individuals who are fairly new to the area. When a tourist stumbles upon the body of a local cheerleader, Mira can't ignore her desire to find out exactly what's going on before returning to the Twin Cities, so she uses the cover of her other job, that of reporter and columnist for the local paper, to do a little detecting on her own.
What Mira uncovers is indeed frightening, and with Sheriff Gary Wohnt acting strangely, Mira isn't sure whom she can trust. Enlisting the help of the colorful Mrs. Berns, Mira outfits herself in weapons and dark clothing and sets off to catch a killer - but will the killer catch her first?
August Moon is an enjoyable and exciting whodunit containing a fair amount of social commentary, off-the-wall characters, and an interesting plot. The tone is dark, but there is plenty of humor thrown in to keep things from getting too heavy. Although it wasn't at all what I expected in a cozy, I am definitely planning to get my hands on the next book in the series, September Mourn!
Carol Ann H. 5/10/2008
I will admit to initially being a bit put off myself (please don't let this be a cheesy romance novel disguised as a mystery - not that there's anything wrong with cheesy romance novels!). I did, however, come to thoroughly enjoy the main characters and the gorgeous setting, and also to admire Mira. One would have to be made of pretty tough stuff to endure the physical reminder of her father's folly on a daily basis as she did in high school. Kudos to Ms. Lourey for creating such a complex and sympathetic heroine. Mira reminds me of the words to a song by Saving Jane, âdon't mess with imperfection.â She is a perfectly imperfect protagonist.
In August Moon, Mira is disappointed in a man yet again, overindulges, and decides to leave Battle Lake even before her housesitting gig is up. She is passionate about her job as the local librarian, however, and won't leave before hiring and training a replacement. She sets about doing just that and also meets several individuals who are fairly new to the area. When a tourist stumbles upon the body of a local cheerleader, Mira can't ignore her desire to find out exactly what's going on before returning to the Twin Cities, so she uses the cover of her other job, that of reporter and columnist for the local paper, to do a little detecting on her own.
What Mira uncovers is indeed frightening, and with Sheriff Gary Wohnt acting strangely, Mira isn't sure whom she can trust. Enlisting the help of the colorful Mrs. Berns, Mira outfits herself in weapons and dark clothing and sets off to catch a killer - but will the killer catch her first?
August Moon is an enjoyable and exciting whodunit containing a fair amount of social commentary, off-the-wall characters, and an interesting plot. The tone is dark, but there is plenty of humor thrown in to keep things from getting too heavy. Although it wasn't at all what I expected in a cozy, I am definitely planning to get my hands on the next book in the series, September Mourn!
Carol Ann H. 5/10/2008
