goddesslovingbookworm -
Helpful Score: 2
I loved this book and having lived in New Orleans pre-Katrina, not only did I recognize the Garden District setting, I recognized the types of characters. This was a cute cozy and a quick read, so I will continue the series. I also appreciate the fact the main character is a middle-aged single woman with a past she has overcome (in other words, she is REAL). The only reason they are not keepers is a total lack of bookcase space.
Helpful Score: 1
Set in New Orleans, 59 year old Charlotte La Rue cleans houses and solves mysteries. She just can't stay out of other people's business and gets herself in messes, that of course she finds her way out.
Helpful Score: 1
Charlotte La Rue likes her life the way it is, at fifty nine she is not yet ready to call it a day no matter what her son, a successful doctors, may think. She enjoys her quiet life, her steady clients and her talkative parakeet.
Having opened up her maid service to support herself and her infant son after the death of her boyfriend in Vietnam, Charlotte has not looked back and wonder how life should have been, she is too busy looking forward and what she sees is pretty good. That is until Jackson Dubuisson, the husband of one of her regular clients, is found murdered and a couple of things that Charlotte has witnessed on her regular cleaning days just aren't adding up.
It's hard to keep a professional distance when you see your clients as friends and your niece just happens to be one of the lead investigators, but Charlotte has seen a couple of things that just don't add up and being the helpful person that she is, she just had to lend her helping hand where she can. No matter how things turn out.
Barbara Colley almost had me closing the book before I had gotten started. Early on there is a comment made about Charlotte's sons first wife that was a bit snide and over the top for a cozy. It came off to me as more of a personal attack to someone that the author knew in real life. Maybe I took it wrong, but it was like a "there I said it and now the whole world knows" kind of thing. It was very off putting and didn't need to be there.
But I persevered and overall I'm glad I did, Colley introduced interesting characters that I'm sure will make future appearances and overall the writing and flow were steady, with the right amount of little red herrings sprinkled throughout the story to lead the reader down different paths in hopes that the who-done-it isn't found out too early.
I'll definitely check out the second book in this series.
Having opened up her maid service to support herself and her infant son after the death of her boyfriend in Vietnam, Charlotte has not looked back and wonder how life should have been, she is too busy looking forward and what she sees is pretty good. That is until Jackson Dubuisson, the husband of one of her regular clients, is found murdered and a couple of things that Charlotte has witnessed on her regular cleaning days just aren't adding up.
It's hard to keep a professional distance when you see your clients as friends and your niece just happens to be one of the lead investigators, but Charlotte has seen a couple of things that just don't add up and being the helpful person that she is, she just had to lend her helping hand where she can. No matter how things turn out.
Barbara Colley almost had me closing the book before I had gotten started. Early on there is a comment made about Charlotte's sons first wife that was a bit snide and over the top for a cozy. It came off to me as more of a personal attack to someone that the author knew in real life. Maybe I took it wrong, but it was like a "there I said it and now the whole world knows" kind of thing. It was very off putting and didn't need to be there.
But I persevered and overall I'm glad I did, Colley introduced interesting characters that I'm sure will make future appearances and overall the writing and flow were steady, with the right amount of little red herrings sprinkled throughout the story to lead the reader down different paths in hopes that the who-done-it isn't found out too early.
I'll definitely check out the second book in this series.
Helpful Score: 1
IN New Orlean's historic Garden District, life is all about attending the right parties, impressing the right people, and making lots of money. It's an attitude 59 yr old Charlotte has never really understood. She leads a quiet, simple life Business is booming at her housecleaning service- Maid for a day.
Charlotte doesn't mind polishing silver, scrubbing toilets,etc but she can't stand dealing with her rich clients' dirty laundry. And when it comes to the much-talked abut Dubuisson family, theres and awful lot of it- especially since Jackson Dubuisson was found murdered in his study.
Charlotte doesn't mind polishing silver, scrubbing toilets,etc but she can't stand dealing with her rich clients' dirty laundry. And when it comes to the much-talked abut Dubuisson family, theres and awful lot of it- especially since Jackson Dubuisson was found murdered in his study.
In New Orleans's historic Garden District, life is all about attending the right parties,k impressing the right people, and making the right amount of money(a Lot). It's and attitude fifty-nine-year-old Charlotte LaRue has never really understood. She leads a quiet, simple, practical life. Business is booming at her housecleaning service, Maid-for-a-day. Everything's perfect. Well almost everything...
Charlotte doesn't mind polishing silver, scrubbing toilets, or dusting bookcases--but she can't stand dealing with her rich clients' dirty laundry. And when it comes to the much talked about Dubuisson family, there's an awful lot of it--especially since Jackson Dubuisson was found murdered in his study.
Surrounded by possible suspects and hounded by a tenacious police detective. Charlotte wishes she could stick to her own policy of staying out of clients' personal business. Problem is, she's never been able to walk away from a mess. And this is the biggest one she's ever seen....
Charlotte doesn't mind polishing silver, scrubbing toilets, or dusting bookcases--but she can't stand dealing with her rich clients' dirty laundry. And when it comes to the much talked about Dubuisson family, there's an awful lot of it--especially since Jackson Dubuisson was found murdered in his study.
Surrounded by possible suspects and hounded by a tenacious police detective. Charlotte wishes she could stick to her own policy of staying out of clients' personal business. Problem is, she's never been able to walk away from a mess. And this is the biggest one she's ever seen....
I wasn't able to get into this book.
This was a pleasant read, not mentally taxing or upsetting. It started out slow, but got exciting about two-thirds of the way through. And I learned that if you wish to murder, get rid of the maid!
Great series.
Marlene W. (KansasSunflower) -
I just love these light, easy-to-read books. The fact they take place in New Orleans adds to their charm.
Takes place in New Orleans historic Garden District. First book in series. Fun read!
I thought this was good for a first book. The setting in New Orleans was interesting and she has a wide variety of characters to play with. Charlotte's background and age will be something a lot of women can relate to.
