Kristina A. reviewed on 8/3/2016 + 1528 more book reviews

Read to Death by Terrie Farley Moran is the third book in A Read Em and Eat Mystery series. Sassy Cabot and Bridgy Mayfield are taking the Cool Reads Warm Climate Book Club on an outing to the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. The tour ties in with the book The Florida Life of Thomas Edison the group just finished reading. Everyone has a good time and they return to Red Em and Eat in high spirits. Bridgy forgot her sunglasses in the van and goes out to retrieve them. Upon hearing a scream, Sassy runs out to investigate. Their van driver, Oscar Frieland is dead. The police are called and Lt. Frank Anthony shows up (assigned the case). Everyone is separated and held for questioning. Bridgy ends up the main suspect (she just went to get sunglasses) and that does not sit well with Sassy. Sassy is determined to find the culprit. Of course, Bridgy's mother, Emelia decides to come visit and brings Sassy's mother, Sage with her (this should be interesting). Can the group find out who killed Oscar before Bridgy ends up in the brig?

Read to Death is nicely written and had a good pace which made for an easy to read book. The mystery was a bit of a letdown. Oscar made a comment (before he died), and I knew he would be the victim. A comment from someone else told me the name of the killer before the murder even occurred. I liked the setting of the novel in Fort Myers Beach. It was interesting to read about their trip to the Edison and Ford Winter Estates (I have always wanted to visit). I liked most of the characters in the book the one exception was Sage, Sassy's mother. I thought she was too over-the-top and extremely annoying (and pushy instead of funny). I give Read to Death 3.5 out of 5 stars. I just felt that book was lacking. We get quite a bit of information about the city, the sites, and books. I wish the author had put a more work into the mystery as she did the research on the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. I found some information to be repeated a few times and there were way too many references (more than eight) to the Heap-a-Jeep (the main characters' car). Will I read the next book in A Read Em and Eat Mystery series? Of course. This could have just been an off book in an otherwise enjoyable series.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.

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