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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Book Review and Giveaway: Three-Day Town by Margaret Maron

This is a solid, entertaining, mystery read.
Three Day Town
by Margaret Maron
  • Hardcover: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; 1 edition (November 21, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0446555789
  • ISBN-13: 978-0446555784
    Genre: Mystery
    My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

 
Book Description
Series: Deborah Knott Mysteries | Publication Date: November 21, 2011
Judge Deborah Knott and Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant are on a train to New York, finally on a honeymoon after a year of marriage. January in New York might not be the perfect time to visit, but they'll take it. The trip is a Christmas present from Dwight's sister-in-law, who arranged for them to stay in an Upper West Side apartment for one week. While in New York, Deborah has been asked to deliver a package to Lt. Sigrid Harald of the NYPD. Sigrid offers to swing by the apartment to pick up the box, but when they reach the apartment, they discover that it is missing and the doorman has been murdered. Despite their best efforts to enjoy a blissful getaway, Deborah and Dwight soon find that they've teamed up with Sigrid and her team to catch the killer before he strikes again.

Review:
Deborah Knott and her “new” husband, Dwight Bryant, are a Judge and Deputy Sheriff, respectively, from North Carolina.  They head to New York for a January honeymoon, carrying with them a package to deliver for a distant relative.  They soon meet up with some artsy and theatrical people in the apartment building where they are staying as guests. They are invited across the hall to a party and during the event they discover the very scandalous package has been taken from their unit.  And unfortunately something else has been left behind.

I liked the main characters, Deborah, Dwight and Lt. Sigrid Harald.  They each have strengths and weaknesses that reflect realism. Deborah might have been the most surprising to me as she seems pretty laid back for a Judge, even for a Southerner. But I am glad she wasn’t an arrogant character as she wouldn’t have been as enjoyable.

Sigrid is the most aloof of the main characters but she has to maintain a certain persona to maintain authority and respect.  She is brusque and efficient. There didn't seem to be a great report between Sigrid and Dwight but that doesn't seem unusual since this wasn't Dwight's jurisdiction. Other characters and suspects are quirky and/or fit as interesting additions to the layout of the story.

I liked how the clues and suspects developed with each day bringing a little more information and another suspect to consider.  Things were going really well until Deborah did what no self-respecting law enforcement officer (or protagonist) should do... she goes out alone... without her phone... and without waking her husband. WHAT! We all know you don’t go check on a noise or go to the basement alone when two bodies have been found, one person is missing and there is a murderer on the loose! Something bad will happen... and of course it does.

Other than that obvious “don’t go there” moment the mystery had a very easy and enjoyable flow. Deborah helps her nephew back home with his own little mystery through email and phone contact that adds to the action of the story. There is a light, maybe not so subtle, humor. For example - I got a kick out of this passage (p 36.):
Elliott Buntrock crossed the room in long strides and tried to close it [open French doors].
“Somehing’s caught in the hinge,” he said and pulled the door toward him to see what it was.
A shoe.
With a foot in it.
Connected to the leg of someone slumped against the railing of the icy marble balcony.
This is the first time I have read this author and I am sure I would enjoy more mysteries from this series.


Thank you to Grand Central Publishing division of Hachette for this book to read and review.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for the ARC Copy:
1. Visit the author's website and tell me something of interest you found there.  This is required for entry.

2.  For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3.  For two entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Four total entries possible.)


* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on January 6, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
The WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED on January 7. 
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.

19 comments:

  1. This sounds like my genre of novel. i would love to win. i am a email follower and i found another cool website - actually went on to TLC and loved that one too. Everything on both blogs was new and interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It's interesting that the author blogs for the Lipstick Chronicles.

    I am a follower and I love good mystery novels.

    harvee44 at yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I see she is living on a part of her families old tobacco farm where she grew up and transformed her city-bred husband into a country boy.

    This book sounds great. I'd love to read it.

    I am a GFC follower

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  4. The author grew up on a Tobacca Farm. I am a follower and email subscriber. Please enter me in contest. Tore923@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. The author had a summer job at the Pentagon
    gfc follower
    http://twitter.com/#!/sweetums82/status/152003300022165504

    dlatany at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I learned that Margaret grew up in North Carolina on a tobacco farm.

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I subscribe via email and also follow via GFC.

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

    ReplyDelete
  8. Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/lag32583/status/152010461552967680

    lag110 at mchsi dot com

    ReplyDelete
  9. I thought The family tree was interesting. I would love to trace mine.
    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I already follow you via gfc - mamabunny13

    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Margaret Maron grew up on a two mule farm where they used raise tabaocco. She has lots of great memories of it.


    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am a long time follower of your blog.

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I posted this giveaway on my Facebook page:

    http://marthasbookshelf.blogspot.com/2011/12/book-review-and-giveaway-three-day-town.html#comment-form

    CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love the family tree. GFC Krystal Larson edysicecreamlover18@gmailDOTcom Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  15. She has a lot of novels out starting back in 1992.
    I am a follower. I would love to read this.

    Thanks for the chance!

    Mary
    mary_reiss @ hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  16. She was the president of the American Crime Writers League in 1997 and 1998 and the president of Sisters in Crime in 1989-1990.

    She writes the kind of mystery novel that I love!
    mittens0831 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I follow on GFC.
    mittens0831 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. tweet
    http://twitter.com/#!/CarolAnnM/status/152540197131792386
    mittens0831 at aol dot com

    ReplyDelete
  19. she was born in N. Carolina and husband is from Brooklyn

    tiramisu392 (at) yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are always appreciated!

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