SHAKESPEARE'S CHRISTMAS.

The fourth book read for .....

See my sidebar to sign up OR if you have already done so click HERE to post your review(s).

SHAKESPEARE'S CHRISTMAS by CHARLAINE HARRIS.

Lily Bard has started over in the quiet town of Shakespeare, Arkansas, where she works as a cleaning lady. But she's about to go back to where she came from, and where Lily goes, danger follows . . . Determined to move beyond her violent past, Lily heads to Bartley, her hometown, for her sister's Christmas Eve wedding. But there's something in the air besides festive cheer: the town's doctor and nurses have been bludgeoned to death, and Lily's detective boyfriend has followed an eight-year-old kidnapping case straight to Bartley. It just might have something to do with the murders . . . and with her sister's fiance. With only three days to the wedding, Lily must work fast to clean up the messy case before her sister promises to love, honour and obey a killer.

..... Outer back cover.

FIRST SENTENCE: (Chapter 1): My situation was as surreal as one of those slomo nightmares Hollywood uses to pad B movies.

MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 196): I understand that close to Christmas children get excited. I realize that children in packs are more excitable than children separately.

MY THOUGHTS: Hardly the most festive of books but, with set at Christmas and with the title of Shakespeare's Christmas, set perfect for this particular challenge.

The third in the Lily Bard/Shakespeare Mystery series (see my other reviews HERE). At last a plot that has some substance to it, a whodunit that though the reason why is fairly obvious the perpetrator is less so.

Interesting that the author chose this, the third book in the series, to really explore the aftermath of Lily's assault not just through the eyes of those closest to Lily but also through Lily herself's eyes, though this works ok as a stand alone novel it is because of this that I think the books are probably best read in order.

Though still full of coincidences, highly contrived and somewhat lacking in reality (what would law enforcement be without she who solves crimes others fail to?), with none (or very little anyway) of the usual house cleaning and gym elements to the story at last we are rewarded to a good 'old fashioned' murder mystery in which we get to know a far more well-rounded and less one- dimensional Lily.

Enjoyable enough, after reading this I'm at least more inclined to read the other two remaining books in the series.

KEEP IT OR NOT?: Bought as a gift, as with the previous books I'll be passing this on.