Customer Reviews

The Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Omnibus 2: Dead Over Heels, A Fool and his Honey, Last Scene Alive, Poppy Done to Death

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This takes over where the first Omnibus leaves off. Yet again it is lovely light reading with enjoyable story lines. It gives an insight into the way of life in the South with quaint characters and lovely quirky plots. The heroine Aurora is a someone I could really relate to, made easier by Charlaine Harris' style of writing in the first person. The kind of 'mystery' stories I find comforting to read over and over, no need to put your intellectual hat on, just escape away into small town life with murderers on the loose. Definitely my 'cup of tea'!! p.s. If you enjoyed this book, I would also recommend reading Charlaine Harris' Lily Bard Mysteries too!

really enjoyed this - really easy to read, well rounded characters and good storyline - not predictable like the grave series.

I zipped through the first omnibus & then went straight onto amazon & bought this 2nd volume & zipped through that too. I had real trouble tearing myself away to do anything else & had one 3am moment!

Highly enjoyable series, and I think it's a shame that Sookie has taken off to such an extent that CH probably won't write any more about Aurora (aka Roe she cites time constraints rather than lack of ideas if you look at the FAQ section on her website). I would certainly like to know what happens to Roe in the future, although luckily book 8 does come to some sort of conclusion.

Several of the "taglines" on these books say they are "funny" - well, they're not hard-boiled crime but although there may be the occasional wry remark I wouldn't class these books as funny. In fact the effect that murders have on those around them are handled quite deeply & sensitively.

You can also see the development of the writing (well, I thought so) - in this first omnibus the sex is all "off screen" - in the later books CH is a bit more upfront about it - but not like in the Sookie stories.

I thoroughly recommend these books, even if you don't like Charlaine's most famous series, as they are quite different.

I've now read all of the Aurora series and whilst I have enjoyed them, I have to say some of my enjoyment has been marred by inconsistencies and contradictions, plus my acceptance of improbabilities. I don't mean to give spoilers to those who are just starting the series so if you are a newby to Aurora and her world please leave this review now. Aurora's marriage to Martin, his age difference to Roe is cited (mostly) as nearly 15 years older, then it is given as nearly 13 years - please that is just sloppy. Roe's infertility, initially she has a malformed womb and doesn't ovulate by the time of Poppy's death she has a tilted womb and irregular ovulation. The couple who are the desperate surrogates it turns out he is Roe's sister in laws long lost illegitimate son (stretching crediblity to new highs/lows). Martin dies because of a heart problem, hmm, super fit, exercises and we suddenly are expected to believe he has full on cardio vascular disease (more like bored with him) having created macho ex mercenary time to jettison, 50 is not an automatic age for heart attack. Arthur turning from (albeit love rat) normal detective to obsessive stalkerish weirdo very hard to take. All through the series Aurora has so many encounters with murder, mayhem and manic murderers I couldn't help feeling that 1) any sane resident of her small town would avoid her like the plague 2) she should have at least got to regard bloody murder as par for the course and ensured she always carried some wet wipes and antibacterial spray wherever she went. The local police should just have her under constant surveillance in order to circumvent, prevent/capture would be murderers and serial killers who are attracted to short myopic southern belles. And her pregnancy - hmmmmmmmmmm so annoying, Melinda asking wasn't she using birth control? Hello !!! this is the woman who for the previous two books has been infertile, no chance of baby etc. why would she use birth control other than to avoid an STD from Robin who admittedly has been bedhopping in LA. A lot of the inconsistencies are fatuous and show a certain laziness on Ms Harris's part and/or that of her editors. Aurora's world is fun but it could have been so much better.

This is a good series of books - although I think the first one was the best since I liked the concept of a famous murderer club.
Rather like the TV series Morse there seems to be a disproportionate number of murders in this town, all of which eventually get solved - mostly by Aurora Teagarden herself. Perhaps I made the mistake of ploughing through the series too quickly.
The writing is good and gives interesting details not just of the murder but also of the appearance and clothing of characters we meet along the way - the type of useful and precise details that illuminate their characters and approach to life.
Certainly a book (and series) I will return to in a few years time.

A great omnibus of murder mysteries with likeable characters and some good plot twists. I recommend it. If you like Charlaine Harris' other stuff you may take a while to like Aurora but she warms up.

Dead Over Heels is the fifth novel in the Aurora Teagarden series by American author, Charlaine Harris. Two years after her marriage to Martin Bartell, Roe has gone back to part-time library work. When strange things start happening, Roe is convinced that they are aimed at her bodyguard, Angel Youngblood. First, the body of Detective Sergeant Jack Burns, not one of Roe's favourite people, is thrown from a plane into her backyard; a mystery admirer sends a vase of flowers; Roe's cat appears with a ribbon around her neck; she keeps getting phone hangups. As people close to her are mugged and stabbed, and stolen property appears to implicate Angel, Roe jumps to a few wrong conclusions before finally figuring it all out. In Roe Teagarden, Harris has created a very likeable heroine, and her other characters soon become favourites too. The dialogue is realistic and the plot has a few twists to keep the reader interested, and a great climax. I look forward to A Fool And His Honey.
A Fool And His Honey is the sixth novel in the Aurora Teagarden series by American author, Charlaine Harris. The unexpected arrival in Lawrenceton of Martin's niece, Regina, with a very young baby no-one even knew she had, sets in motion a series of events that have tragic consequences. The murder of Regina's husband, Craig, and the disappearance of Regina herself leaves Roe holding the baby. Much as she may have wanted her own child, with her inexperience in this field, Roe finds her resourcefulness running low with the challenge and responsibility of suddenly looking after this tiny life. Travelling back to Martin's home town with the baby and encountering his ex-wife again end up being the least of Roe's worries. Harris weaves an intriguing puzzle that keeps the reader guessing. It is refreshing to find an author who is not afraid to age her characters and have them face real-life problems which don't always resolve neatly and happily. Roe is portrayed realistically and her inner monologue is very enjoyable: I especially liked her summarising her situation in a Country Song Title. As this instalment ends on a low note, I am glad there are two more to come and look forward to Last Scene Alive.
Last Scene Alive is the seventh novel in the Aurora Teagarden series by American author, Charlaine Harris. Almost a year after Martin's death, Roe is going through the motions of life when Hollywood comes to town to shoot scenes for a two-part TV movie of Whimsical Death, Robin Crusoe's novel about a serial killer in Lawrenceton (see Real Murders, the first Aurora Teagarden mystery). Roe has mixed feelings about Robin's arrival, and is not at all happy about the movie, even though it is bound to benefit the town. Soon enough, she finds herself on the movie set, and much to her horror, present when the body of the murdered starlet who is playing Roe herself is discovered by her stepson, Barrett Bartell, also starring in the movie. Detective Arthur Smith, still holding a candle for Roe, gives her plenty of unwelcome advice. This installment has Roe receiving nasty mail, being attacked, buying and selling a house, rediscovering sex, getting stabbed, trying to accurately judge the reactions of actors and unmasking a terrorist. There is stalking, drugging, suffocation, assault with an Emmy, a mystery father and a disguise. As always, Harris's plot is original and her main character is highly likeable. Harris also introduces some of the characters for the next and final instalment, Poppy Done To Death. Another excellent read.
Poppy Done To Death is the eighth and final novel in the Aurora Teagarden series by American author, Charlaine Harris. When Roe's step-sister-in-law, Poppy Queensland is murdered, owing to her dysfunctional adolescence and promiscuous life, the list of suspects quickly grows, and includes a few surprises. And of course, death brings Roe's ex, Detective Arthur Smith, who is behaving quite strangely, onto the scene. Of course there is a Thanksgiving dinner with Corinne Crusoe, her boyfriend's mother, to prepare for, and to complicate matters further, Roe's half-brother, Phillip turns up unexpectedly. In this instalment, Roe searches for love nests, discovers a body, harbours a teenager, searches for a missing cat and ends up at the bottom of a swimming pool. Adultery, incest, paternity tests and Women's clubs all feature, and there is a big surprise at the end. Astute readers will pick the vital clue in the first chapters, but the journey to the denouement is fun, nonetheless. Harris is clever enough to know to stop this series, as with her Lily Bard series, before the characters become jaded and the reader loses interest. A very enjoyable read.

Wonderful, Charlaine Harris does it again. I am a True Blood fan but love these stories as well. The characters have depth and the story comes to life brilliantly.

Borrowed the first omnibus in hardback from the library and nearly bought it for the kindle halfway through to prevent wrist ache as I didn't want to be parted from it. Loved the way Aurora's personality grew through the 8 books contained in the two volumes. They are cosy mystery novels but strangely addictive.

I love Charlaine Harris, her books are so good, and always make me want to read more. This series of aurora Teagarden books are great reads, and I think maybe just as good as the true blood books! I'd recommend to anyone, as long as you don't mind a murder mystery!