Carolyn G. Hart's Honeymoon with Murder and A Little Class on Murder are books numbers four and five of her award-winning Death on Demand series. Death on Demand itself is a mystery-themed bookstore on a South Carolina island called Boward's Rock. The store is run by a woman named Annie Laurance, who becomes Annie Darling per her eventual marriage to her beau, Max. Nonetheless, as a mystery bookstore owner, Annie is deeply dedicated to everything surrounding the mystery genre–so she knows her stuff. A cast of supporting characters are there as well with equal appreciation for loving and conversing about mystery books. As readers, we are privy to much of these conversations about various mysteries and the authors who write them. Blended so well into the overall narrative, you, the reader, suddenly find yourself intrigued by anecdotal information on, say, Agatha Christie and/or Ross MacDonald. The list is endless.
Meanwhile, the author is telling and selling you a great murder mystery with all the operating components that make these books cozy. Yet, they are so, so much more. For one, they are apt and sharper than many nowadays cozies I've read that seem to prioritize lunacy and love triangles as the standard. Secondly, while some primary and supporting cast may annoy me sometimes, Hart delivers humor/comedy like the pro she is. I sometimes run across cozies where authors need to learn how nuance lands a comedic moment. Or lack the ability to put some intelligence behind comedy to keep it from selling eye-rolls and cringe page after page. As a matter-of-fact, I think "nuance" is the correct term to describe Hart's ability, because outside notes of humor her characters simply come off the page to me. I respect it; Carolyn G. Hart won multiple awards for a freakin’ reason.
This all aside, I list three things that keep me returning to this series (aside from Hart's ability to plot).
1. I've entirely warmed up to Hart's duo, Annie and Max. I mention this because I typically wouldn't like the way romances are handled in cozy mysteries–especially those that insist on beginning a romance with a love triangle. Nevertheless, earlier in the series I thought Annie was rude; her and I didn't exactly click. In contrast, Max got on my nerves as the designated love interest in many cozy series. The further into the series I read, the further my view of the two changed.
I like the two of them together. Annie comes across as a lot more clever and quick than abrasive and prickly, with Max as her sort of "buffer" to her reactionary moments. And Max is full-on in his role as her just as clever detective companion (and, yes, husband). They are different in personalities (and diets), but compatible because of this. Where Annie goes hot, Max goes cool. Also, it works for me because while I can tell Hart loves writing about their romance, she is nowhere near as over-prioritizing it to sell her fantasy to readers. Now that's the stuff that gets on my nerves in cozies nowadays. This seemingly desperate need for the author to sell a romance fantasy above the mystery.
2. I also like how Hart carefully (but unafraid) blends mystery elements over all areas of her storytelling–because she genuinely loves reading mysteries. For example, Annie operates as a traditional cozy amateur sleuth. Meanwhile, Max is much like a gumshoe. So Hart likes to take all her mystery bites.
I love how Hart tops layer after layer to her stories with infused references to various mystery authors and her love of mysteries in general! These references litter every corner of Hart’s books! With Hart, I keep sticky tabs and constantly pause to look up and e-cart different books and authors' work that I had yet to hear of or have yet to get to within my own library. So Hart's clues go beyond what's presented in the actual plot, as they are also seen in character's behavior, settings, and featured in dialogue as references from classic mystery novels. It's the readers role to guess how close do those reference clues to real authors/works lean on the internal clues seen in the plot.
3. Another thing I appreciate in the Death on Demand series are the various lists and diagrams presented to the readers through the characters. It was almost as if the reading experience was breaking the fourth wall. We got to peek into all the "notes" Hart created to plot and bring characters/suspects out to the mystery itself. In essence, Hart lets the readers in on how she draws characters/suspect backgrounds and how each prerequisite motive puts each in first place to be the possible killer. So as Annie and Max are making notes surrounding the case, we, readers, are privy to them right off. As a mystery lover, it makes me freakin' study.
As of writing this, I've read three of these books in a row. I am now at book #7, The Christie Caper. However, I'm going to take a break and switch things up before diving further into this series. Why? To keep from burnout!
2. I also like how Hart carefully (but unafraid) blends mystery elements over all areas of her storytelling–because she genuinely loves reading mysteries. For example, Annie operates as a traditional cozy amateur sleuth. Meanwhile, Max is much like a gumshoe. So Hart likes to take all her mystery bites.
I love how Hart tops layer after layer to her stories with infused references to various mystery authors and her love of mysteries in general! These references litter every corner of Hart’s books! With Hart, I keep sticky tabs and constantly pause to look up and e-cart different books and authors' work that I had yet to hear of or have yet to get to within my own library. So Hart's clues go beyond what's presented in the actual plot, as they are also seen in character's behavior, settings, and featured in dialogue as references from classic mystery novels. It's the readers role to guess how close do those reference clues to real authors/works lean on the internal clues seen in the plot.
3. Another thing I appreciate in the Death on Demand series are the various lists and diagrams presented to the readers through the characters. It was almost as if the reading experience was breaking the fourth wall. We got to peek into all the "notes" Hart created to plot and bring characters/suspects out to the mystery itself. In essence, Hart lets the readers in on how she draws characters/suspect backgrounds and how each prerequisite motive puts each in first place to be the possible killer. So as Annie and Max are making notes surrounding the case, we, readers, are privy to them right off. As a mystery lover, it makes me freakin' study.
As of writing this, I've read three of these books in a row. I am now at book #7, The Christie Caper. However, I'm going to take a break and switch things up before diving further into this series. Why? To keep from burnout!
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