29 Aug 2018

AURORA TEARGARDEN; BOOKS 2, 7 & 8.

Not one, not two but three books in the Aurora Teagarden series by Charlaine Harris, today I'm bringing you books 2, 7 and 8 all bought at a charity shop.

BACK COVER BLURBS ... As is generally the case with my multiple reviews the synopsis can be found by clicking on the book title. 

FIRST SENTENCES ... Apologies that I shan't be including a First Sentence as, with three reviews, I feel the post long enough.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS ... As above.

SOURCE ... Charity shops buys.

READ FOR A CHALLENGE? ... Yes.

  • Books 10, 11 and 12 read for the Mount TBR challenge which sees my target of 12 books reached. I may however extend the challenge by aiming for the next level of 24 read off my TBR mountain.

A Bone to Pick: An Aurora Teagarden Novel (Aurora Teagarden 2)


Last Scene Alive (Aurora Teagarden Mystery, #7)Poppy Done to Death (Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, Book 8) by Harris, Charlaine (2009) Mass Market Paperback

MY THOUGHTS ... OK, so perhaps this was one of those series really best begun at the beginning (whilst they can be read as stand alone novels there is a very definite timeline, the amount of explanations/cross references to past events, varying from book to book). I won't deny that I may well have got more out of them IF I'd started with the first book in the series and worked my way through them.

Initially I had thought A Bone To Pick an OK read; disappointing when compared to the author's True Blood series (but then I've struggled to find ANY of Charlaine Harris' novels that live up to her Sookie Stackhouse books) but OK, however ...

What I was soon to discover was a novel lacking in plot with a heroine (Aurora aka Roe) who didn't so much investigate things as have things happen to her; the book concentrating more on her love life (or lack of it) than it did on her determination to find out whodunit, my optimism (to say nothing of my interest in the book) soon plummeted.

Not much better than the previous book. Last Scene Alive, with its paper thin plot; its murder that only occurred half way or so through the book, the author instead choosing to concentrate on the protagonist, once again proved disappointing. 

The multiple possible killers and red herrings, the lame romance, doing little to improve things; the plot inconsistencies, quite frankly, laughable; Roe's internal mutterings monologues, ...... aggghhhh! 

So, I still found myself having to suspend disbelief, there are still all those glaring inconsistencies (and not just from book to book but within the same book) and the mystery, well, it still isn't exactly much of a mystery BUT in Poppy Done To Death at least there's slightly less of Roe ... hurrah!

Seriously, characters I don't find likeable (and believe you me I didn't find Roe at all likeable) I can cope with. After all the author must be doing something right when a character gets under your skin in the way in which Roe did mine, right? 

Hmm! Not if the problem isn't so much an un-likable character as it is a badly written one who doesn't so much develop over the course of the series as, well, deviates - not something I can easily explain without any spoilers, my apologies.

Ah well! I guess my search for a Charlaine Harris series that is as good as her True Blood series (or at least the early books; the later ones weren't so good) continues.


9 comments:

Brian Joseph said...

I guess that a mystery series where the mystery takes a back seat to the characters personal life might be OK. It does sound different. However, if the protagonist’s personal life is then portrayed poorly it might be a problem.

Shooting Stars Mag said...

I've never read any of these books, or anything by Harris actually, but I'm sorry to hear you didn't find Roe likeable at all and that the mysteries don't seem like they were done that well either. Bummer!! I have seen some of the movie adaptations on Hallmark though and those are fun. :)

-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net

Melliane said...

I was actually curious about this one

Kelly said...

I admire you for getting through all three of these, considering they weren't that good from the start. Back when I was reading all the Sookie books, I put the first in another of her series (Harper Connelly?) on my shelf where it's still languishing. I'm not sure I'll ever get to it.

sherry fundin said...

I love reading about characters more than ever since blogging, but when I choose a mystery, I am choosing it FOR the mystery. I haven't read any of these, but I do find those covers fun and creepy at the same time. i have enjoyed her books before and would still give these a shot.
sherry @ fundinmental

Suko said...

Thanks for your honest review. I hope the next book you read is terrific!

Literary Feline said...

I haven't read any of her books yet other than her Southern Vampire series (which is how I know the series now called her True Blood series) and one of her Shakespeare cozies. I have seen a Aurora Teagarden movie, but I don't think that counts. I do want to try this series someday.

nightwingsraven said...

Tracy,
As always I appreciated your
honesty. I am not familiar with
the author. Perhaps I will try
the Sookie Stackhouse books.
Raven

Karen said...

I read this years ago, after reading through the Sookie books that were out at the time, and it was cute but nothing too deep. And yeah, you really need to read them in order to get the most from them.

Karen @ For What It's Worth