ARA Review by Deborah Russo 1 of Murder by Definition
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ARA Review by Deborah Russo 1 of Murder by Definition
[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, Murder by Definition.]
Murder by Definition is a mystery set in a nursing home where nefarious person or persons is sending residents to their deaths before their time. Megan, granddaughter of an amateur sleuth Velma, temporarily receiving treatment at the facility, fights for Velma’s rights as a patient to be treated with respect and with proper medical services. In addition, time spent at this creepy care center does yield romance for the main characters, both resolving their love lives as the mystery plot progresses.
This book is easy to follow and contains much description both within and outside of the dialog. Points of view shift too frequently, a reason for giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. A few reasons kept me from giving it a 4 star. Random unexpected language and convenient characterization of the villain were the most glaring. An example of vulgar language was the use of the word snot to describe Marion’s attitude toward the character of Bethany in Chapter 27. However, it was not overdone throughout the book, just seemed not to belong to this work. Some dialog was more like explanations, another reason I did not give it a 4 star rating.
The plot and details provided caused the book to be elevated above 2 stars. Also, there were numerous characters, a plus for murder mysteries. Major improvement for this book would be a list of characters with brief identification either at the front or back of the book for the reader to refer to so as to enjoy the book better. The book could use some spacing breaks when shifting from one scene and/or point of view to another. This would make the transitions a little smoother. I did notice the use of the three asterisks in some places but it was inconsistent, such as they were used in switching from Matt to Agent Preston but shortly later switching back from Agent Preston to Matt (Chapter 47) there was no break.
There are several typos and grammatical errors but not an unexpected number in a book as long as this one. A positive aspect of the book is the comprehensive details revealed about the background of the main characters. This give the book extra depth and a foundation for the reactions of characters to one another, for example Megan’s instant dislike of Matt is well foreshadowed.
Another plus was the vivid description of the painting commissioned by Kathy. The techniques of the artist Anastasia and her inclusion of the calico cat Tabitha was very refreshing in the midst of the rather gloomy setting of the nursing home. These positives were firm reasons for not going below 3 stars. The conclusion of the book as to the revelation and reasoning behind the killer’s motive, which might be sensitive to some readers, also made me feel 3 stars is the appropriate rating for this well-written book with excellent description and good intentions.
***
View Murder by Definition on Bookshelves
Murder by Definition is a mystery set in a nursing home where nefarious person or persons is sending residents to their deaths before their time. Megan, granddaughter of an amateur sleuth Velma, temporarily receiving treatment at the facility, fights for Velma’s rights as a patient to be treated with respect and with proper medical services. In addition, time spent at this creepy care center does yield romance for the main characters, both resolving their love lives as the mystery plot progresses.
This book is easy to follow and contains much description both within and outside of the dialog. Points of view shift too frequently, a reason for giving this book 3 out of 5 stars. A few reasons kept me from giving it a 4 star. Random unexpected language and convenient characterization of the villain were the most glaring. An example of vulgar language was the use of the word snot to describe Marion’s attitude toward the character of Bethany in Chapter 27. However, it was not overdone throughout the book, just seemed not to belong to this work. Some dialog was more like explanations, another reason I did not give it a 4 star rating.
The plot and details provided caused the book to be elevated above 2 stars. Also, there were numerous characters, a plus for murder mysteries. Major improvement for this book would be a list of characters with brief identification either at the front or back of the book for the reader to refer to so as to enjoy the book better. The book could use some spacing breaks when shifting from one scene and/or point of view to another. This would make the transitions a little smoother. I did notice the use of the three asterisks in some places but it was inconsistent, such as they were used in switching from Matt to Agent Preston but shortly later switching back from Agent Preston to Matt (Chapter 47) there was no break.
There are several typos and grammatical errors but not an unexpected number in a book as long as this one. A positive aspect of the book is the comprehensive details revealed about the background of the main characters. This give the book extra depth and a foundation for the reactions of characters to one another, for example Megan’s instant dislike of Matt is well foreshadowed.
Another plus was the vivid description of the painting commissioned by Kathy. The techniques of the artist Anastasia and her inclusion of the calico cat Tabitha was very refreshing in the midst of the rather gloomy setting of the nursing home. These positives were firm reasons for not going below 3 stars. The conclusion of the book as to the revelation and reasoning behind the killer’s motive, which might be sensitive to some readers, also made me feel 3 stars is the appropriate rating for this well-written book with excellent description and good intentions.
***
View Murder by Definition on Bookshelves
