Category: humorous fiction

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book club Book review humorous fiction mystery reading

Read and Review (R&R) – “My Friends” and “Can You Solve the Murder”

In October, I read two books. The first was for my book club, and it was titled “My Friends” by Fredrick Backman. The second was a recommendation I saw on social media called “Can You Solve the Murder,” by Antony Johnston.

“My Friends” is a New York Times Bestseller and is categorized as humorous fiction on Amazon. It was published in May 2025. While some parts gave me a chuckle, I found it heartbreaking but heartwarming. It is a story of the power of friendship and art. I really enjoy this author’s writing style and his character portrayal.

Four teenage friends, drawn together by rough times, create a bond of friendship and love that lasts a lifetime. When their friendship is captured in a famous work of art, a young aspiring artist, treasuring a postcard she has of the painting, sets out to view the painting in person. This transpires into her going to where the painting originated, and she herself is transformed by the love and friendship these four teenagers experienced 25 years ago.

Some of the other well-known books by this author are “A Man Called Ove,” “Anxious People,” and “Beartown which was made into an HBO series and now can be viewed on streaming platforms.

The second book I read was “Can You Solve the Murder,” which was published in July 2025. This is an interactive whodunit, where you are the detective and choose the direction of the story by deciding who to question. I haven’t read a book such as this since I was young and read the Choose Your Own Adventure books.

When a murder occurs at an English manor wellness retreat, it is up to you to solve the crime – a puzzle in a book. This isn’t a straight cover-to-cover read. Your sleuthing skills determine which page you will turn to next. If you aren’t the type to take notes and figure out clues, this book may not be for you.

I personally really enjoyed trying to find the villain. There are six possible suspects, and I will admit that I didn’t get it right on the first guess. I did, however, correctly find the perpetrator after reevaluating my clues. So, I put myself as a junior detective.

If you pick up either of the above two books, email me at carolelynnjones@gmail.com and share your thoughts. Happy reading/sleuthing!

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Book review debut novel fiction humorous fiction reading Uncategorized

Read and Review (R&R) – Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

My book club’s choice for September was “Lessons in Chemistry,” the debut novel by Bonnie Garmus. This book is a GMA book club pick and is coming to Apple TV in 2023.

Elizabeth Zott wants to do one thing-perform her research at Hastings Research Institute. The problem is, it’s the late 1950s-early 1960s and she is a woman.

When she meets Calvin Evans, a Nobel-prize nominated, grudge-holder at Hastings true chemistry results. They even adopt a dog, “Six-Thirty.”

Things really heat up for Elizabeth when she finds herself not only a single mother to her daughter, “Mad,” but also the reluctant star of the cooking show “Supper at Six.” Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) has everyone talking, and, some not in a good way. Because Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook, she’s capacitating change.

A funny plot with quirky, well-developed, supporting characters and lots of chemistry. Garmus brings in some serious themes and grief, but the overall plot of the story – you can’t keep Elizabeth Zott or any determined woman down resonates and stays with the reader. This is an easy read. Kudos to Bonnie Garmus for writing this book.

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Book review humorous fiction mystery reading

Read and Review (R&R) – 4 Sleuths & A Bachelorette

I was very excited when I won this book in a giveaway from Traci Andrighetti. It was written by her and three other USA Today Bestselling Authors – Leslie Langtry Arlene McFarlane, and Diana Orgain.

Each author incorporated their protagonists (Merry Wrath, Valentine Beaumont, Franki Amato, and Kate Connolly) from their books into creating this joint effort to make “A Killer Foursome Mystery.”

It’s the worst bachelorette party ever – Babette Lang’s bachelorette party – and Babette is MIA.

When one of the guests drops dead, the four women sleuths join forces to solve the mystery.

The list of suspects includes a wannabe hand-model bartender, a chain-smoking talent agent, the bride-to-be’s cheapskate boss, the drunk fiancé and his crazed sisters.

This book was a fun read filled with laugh-out-loud humor. The styles of the authors blended well together, there were lots of red herrings, and plot twists.

Next up for this foursome – 4 Sleuths and a Burlesque Dancer.

Categories
Book review cozy mysteries humorous fiction mystery reading suspense

Read and Review (R&R) – “The Deep End,” by Julie Mulhern

Picture perfect life in the 70s-except the murders

When a friend recommended Julie Mulhern’s Country Club Murders books, I had to check them out. I wasn’t disappointed. Julie has fifteen books in this series. I started with the first, “The Deep End,” which came out in 2015.

I loved this book! Julie Mulhern writes with great humor, wit, wonderful characters and a killer plot.

When Ellison Russell swims into the lifeless body of her husband’s mistress, she becomes the prime suspect in Madeline Harper’s death. A missing kinky husband with a vault full of secrets, a handsome detective, a well-to-do lawyer, and a mother who can’t keep her hands out of Ellison’s life, all add up to more trouble than Ellison can swim her way out of.

A laugh-out-loud whodunit!

Categories
Book review crime fiction humorous fiction mystery reading suspense

Read and Review (R&R) – “The Man Who Died Twice” by Richard Osman

“The Man Who Died Twice”
Richard Osman

This book was given to me in a book exchange with my local “Sisters in Crime” group. What a wonderful read. I loved this book and its characters, Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron, and Ibrahim.

What happens when four septuagenarians who live in the Cooper’s Chase retirement community band together and form a crime club (aka The Thursday Murder Club)? A heartwarming friendship, and a book filled with laugh-out-loud humor.

“I am learning that it is important to stop sometimes, and just have a drink and a gossip with your friends, even as corpses start to pile up around you.”

The narrative is split between all the characters mentioned above, but Joyce and Elizabeth play the largest roles.

With diamonds, Elizabeth’s ex-husband, the MI5, a cocaine dealer, crooked businessman, the mafia, local thugs, and piling up bodies, the members of the Thursday Murder Club have their hands full.

This is the second book in this series. The first is called “The Thursday Murder Club Mystery.”

Richard Osman has created a wonderful story line and I am anxiously awaiting the next novel with these characters.