A charming continuation of the story of Aurora Teagarden, who in this book goes from Southern small-town librarian to a woman of leisure (more or less). She is still looking for the right man, figuring out the intricacies of having a mother-daughter relationship now that she is an independent adult, and getting reluctantly thrown into solving what may or may not a be a murder. The book is a quick read, and I'm looking forward to receiving the others in the series.
Helpful Score: 3
I didn't like this second book in the series as much as Real Murders, if only because there wasn't as much murder going on. :p
In this installment, Roe inherits the estate of her friend Jane Engle, a seventy year old "sweet old lady" who was formerly in the Real Murders club with her. Roe's got no idea why Jane would leave the house to her, but Jane's lawyer, Bubba Sewell, tells her that Jane has only a single brother left still living, who's pretty old himself, and she left him her car, her cat, and a few thousand dollars. But Roe is inheriting Jane's house, along with all it's contents and $550,000! Which is apparently a pretty good windfall down South! (Up here it'd barely buy a nice house. LOL)
Anyhow, it's the skull that Roe discovers inside Jane's house that's got her curious... just whose skull is it? And do the recent mysterious break-ins in the neighborhoodwhere nothing was taken, just houses ransackedhave anything to do with it? This mystery gets wrapped up at the end, but I won't give any spoilers here to ruin it.
We also learn a little more about Roe's personal life, and her longing to find a good man and get married. She's no longer with either of the two men she dated in Real Murders. The police detective Arthur has married his partner Lynn. And Robin Crusoe left the townhouse to go live in the city, and then went off to Europe for a little while, stepping back as Roe had gotten more serious (or so she thought) with Arthur. It's a little uncomfortable for Roe when she finds out that Arthur and Lynn have just bought the house across the street from the one she inherited from Jane, and to top it off, Lynn's already pregnant. (Can we say shotgun wedding! LOL) So Roe's now dating the town's Episcopal minister, Aubrey Scott, who performed her mother's recent wedding to John Queensland.
I think if Ms. Harris didn't make the rest of the story fairly entertaining, it would've flopped because the wondering of this skull is the only mystery part to this story... Roe does a little sleuthing, but since she doesn't mention the skull to anyone else, it's not a subject for dinner-time conversation or anything among her friends, acquaintances, and new neighbors, at least not until the rest of the skeleton is discovered. *grin*
In this installment, Roe inherits the estate of her friend Jane Engle, a seventy year old "sweet old lady" who was formerly in the Real Murders club with her. Roe's got no idea why Jane would leave the house to her, but Jane's lawyer, Bubba Sewell, tells her that Jane has only a single brother left still living, who's pretty old himself, and she left him her car, her cat, and a few thousand dollars. But Roe is inheriting Jane's house, along with all it's contents and $550,000! Which is apparently a pretty good windfall down South! (Up here it'd barely buy a nice house. LOL)
Anyhow, it's the skull that Roe discovers inside Jane's house that's got her curious... just whose skull is it? And do the recent mysterious break-ins in the neighborhoodwhere nothing was taken, just houses ransackedhave anything to do with it? This mystery gets wrapped up at the end, but I won't give any spoilers here to ruin it.
We also learn a little more about Roe's personal life, and her longing to find a good man and get married. She's no longer with either of the two men she dated in Real Murders. The police detective Arthur has married his partner Lynn. And Robin Crusoe left the townhouse to go live in the city, and then went off to Europe for a little while, stepping back as Roe had gotten more serious (or so she thought) with Arthur. It's a little uncomfortable for Roe when she finds out that Arthur and Lynn have just bought the house across the street from the one she inherited from Jane, and to top it off, Lynn's already pregnant. (Can we say shotgun wedding! LOL) So Roe's now dating the town's Episcopal minister, Aubrey Scott, who performed her mother's recent wedding to John Queensland.
I think if Ms. Harris didn't make the rest of the story fairly entertaining, it would've flopped because the wondering of this skull is the only mystery part to this story... Roe does a little sleuthing, but since she doesn't mention the skull to anyone else, it's not a subject for dinner-time conversation or anything among her friends, acquaintances, and new neighbors, at least not until the rest of the skeleton is discovered. *grin*
LecClier K. (SierraK) -
Helpful Score: 3
Second book in the Aurora ("Roe") Teagarden mystery series. In this book, Roe inherits a house and a small fortune from her friend Jane Engle (we met her in the first book "Real Murders"). When Roe goes over to inspect the house she inherited from Jane, she finds it has been ransacked. After some searching, she finds what the vandal was looking for: a human skull. Roe, always interested in solving a mystery, tries to find out the identity of the skull and how it ended up hidden in Jane Engle's house.
Another fun story in this series.
Another fun story in this series.
Deborah H. (littlepine) -
Helpful Score: 1
The second book in the series.I like the main character and will be looking for more in the series.
Bonnie A. (ladycholla) -
Loved this story. Interesting twist, Aurora is funny and this was very good. Didn't figure out the end. Makes a good mystery for me.
Another great cozy mystery by Charlaine Harris. This one kept me guessing to the last pages.
On this second book of the series I was pleased to see a little more character development for Aurora although I am curious how she is going to keep herself busy in the next book since she ***spoiler alert*** quit her job in this book. Course I guess maybe that's the intention to keep the reader guessing and reading! Nice light mystery with a likable heroine.
I just finished reading this complete series (8 books) and I feel Charlaine Harris did an excellent job with the characters, unexpected twists and plots. I often read an entire book in one setting so I could find out who did it and why!
This was a stumper I had a hard time not skiping to the end to see who done it and how and espcialy why.
Michelle R. (atammcreation) reviewed A Bone to Pick (Aurora Teagarden, Bk 2) on + 41 more book reviews
A Bone to Pick by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
So after finishing Book one of the Aurora Teagarden Mystery series, it wasn't bed time and so I started on book two!
A Bone to Pick is the second book in the Aurora Teagarden Mystery and in this we find Roe attending her mother's wedding to a former Real Murders Club member, then attending the wedding of her former boyfriend and Real Murders club member, Arthur Smith, only to be shocked by the very visibly pregnant bride, then the funeral of a friend and former Real Murders club member. To add to her bewilderment, she is contacted by the attorney only to find out that the friend left everything to her! Everything being a house, a sizable bank account and a mystery.
Roe decides that she must solve the mystery, it is what Jane would have wanted and she proceeds to work on that. All the while trying to decide if she wants to give up her comfortable, and rent free townhouse for the ownership of the little house on Honor Street, only to find out that the house across the street is the new home of Arthur and his wife! As Roe ponders and puzzles her way through another mystery, she answers questions and makes decisions for her life and her future.
Again, this is so well written that it draws you in, I could almost see myself walking around the little house on Honor Street, I could feel the eyes of the neighborhood, and feel for Roe. I was pulled into the story and into her life and I wanted it to keep going. I wanted to know more and to find out more about Roe, even after the mystery was solved. Guess that means I have to find book three!
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The book was a good read. Enjoyed the characters as I did in the first book. I will say that the story was not as compelling when compared with the first Roe book. In this case, the ending just sort of happens all of a sudden. I am usually a big fan of Charlaine Harris' books, but this one didn't quite measure up. I still enjoyed it though.
This one had some lovely surprises, kept the book moving well. Much more insight into Aurora's mother as well.
Nice light-hearted mystery. Second in the Aurora Teagarden series.
This is a great book.
I'm not sure what to make of this book. Other than a murder there isn't much mystery. No sleuthing to be seen here. The "who done it" is solved by no one really. It's just dumb luck. There is another lackluster budding romance that is no better than in the first book. Aurora strikes me as an unfeeling, greedy little thing in this book. She's so happy with her inheritance without much regard to the dead friend that left it all to her. Then she decides she doesn't want to work anymore. She just seems rather unfocused and uninspiring in this book.
Lisa B. (momof3boysandagirl) reviewed A Bone to Pick (Aurora Teagarden, Bk 2) on + 58 more book reviews
Very entertaining series. I am really enjoying getting to 'know' Roe.
Aurora "Roe" Teagarden's character is rounding out more with this book. The first was good and this one even better!
This second book in the series moved along rather swiftly as new characters were introduced and some of the ones found in book 1 made their appearances. The mystery was intriguing and I loved so many of the conversations that Roe had with herself.
A quick, enjoyable continuation of Aurora's life in her small town.
Mary Ruth
A quick, enjoyable continuation of Aurora's life in her small town.
Mary Ruth
Aurora Teagarden, who made a strong series debut (in Real Murders ) as a southern librarian turned amateur sleuth, suddenly finds herself very rich when elderly spinster Jane Engle dies and leaves her a fortune. When Aurora goes to take possession of Miss Engle's home, she finds the place ransacked. Poking around, she turns up a ghoulish artifact the intruder missed: a bashed-in human skull hidden in a cleverly disguised window seat. Fearing that her mild benefactor was actually a vicious killer, Aurora is relieved to find a note the deceased left behind pointing her suspicions elsewhere. She delves into the lives of her new neighbors, masking her scrutiny with Southern charm, and discovers that over the years two men have disappeared from the neighborhood.
Jeanette R. (thebeakeeper) reviewed A Bone to Pick (Aurora Teagarden, Bk 2) on + 167 more book reviews
In the second of the Aurora Teagarden series, Aurora finds herself very rich when one of her fellow Real Murders club members, the elderly spinster Jane Engle dies and leaves her her house and fortune. When Aurora goes to take possession of Miss Engle's home, she finds the place ransacked and holes dug all over the backyard. Poking around, she turns up a bashed-in human skull hidden in a cleverly disguised window seat. Fearing that Jane was actually a vicious killer, Aurora is relieved to find a note Jane left behind pointing her suspicions elsewhere.
I liked this story because again, it was short, fun and I love how the characters remain the same. I didn't like the gap though and how all of a sudden Robin has left, Arthur is getting married- I wanted to know more about their relationships with Aurora and what went wrong!!!!
I'm also starting to think it's a bit much that Lawrenceton is this small town with so many murders. Is the series going to run out of people to kill off?
That said, still loved it!!!
I liked this story because again, it was short, fun and I love how the characters remain the same. I didn't like the gap though and how all of a sudden Robin has left, Arthur is getting married- I wanted to know more about their relationships with Aurora and what went wrong!!!!
I'm also starting to think it's a bit much that Lawrenceton is this small town with so many murders. Is the series going to run out of people to kill off?
That said, still loved it!!!
The series is "cute" - not as engaging as the Sookie Stackhouse books, but fun reads. Light mystery stories along with "life in the South" and "life in a small town".
Priscilla B. (Skeeter1942) reviewed A Bone to Pick (Aurora Teagarden, Bk 2) on + 131 more book reviews
Had sweet, fragile, silver-haired Jane Engle, school librarian and churchgoer, murdered someone and put the victim's skull in her window seat? Did Aurora Teagarden, fellow librarian and astonished beneficiary of Jane's estate...including house, cat, and half a million dollars....want to expose her friend as a murderess.
An intruder's careful search alerts Aurora to the unsettling fact that somebody else knows about the skull. Where was the rest of the body? No strangeer to a good mystery, Aurora is stillf not quite sure how to proceed. Especially when she becomes convinced her friend is innocent...and the real killer is nearby, watching and waiting.
An intruder's careful search alerts Aurora to the unsettling fact that somebody else knows about the skull. Where was the rest of the body? No strangeer to a good mystery, Aurora is stillf not quite sure how to proceed. Especially when she becomes convinced her friend is innocent...and the real killer is nearby, watching and waiting.
Loved it, love Roe, tore through this one in one night!
:)
:)
Cute little murder mystery, especially since I got a fish bone stuck in my throat and had to have it surgically removed when this book arrived in the mail.
This was not one of her better books, it was very slow moving, and then when Lily FINALLY got a clue, and she didnt pick up on it, you want to cuss her out, lol.
