Official Review: The Harding Murders by Michael Caruss

[shannonkate8]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Harding Murders" by Michael Caruss.]

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1 out of 4 stars

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I was initially interested in The Harding Murders by Michael Caruss, because it discusses Ohio president Warren Harding. As an Ohioan, I felt the need to know more about this important individual, not to mention I'm a fan of historical fiction. Frankly, I was shocked by what I learned. In the introduction, readers gain a general understanding of Warren Harding's life and the question surrounding his death — was it natural or something more sinister?

The author then begins his tale with this very event before taking readers on a ride through the past. Readers are introduced to an ever-growing cast of characters as they learn about Warren, Florence, the Marion Star, and their rise into politics. The piece is interspersed with facts, copies of original letters, and pictures. With a life permeated with scandal, whether it be affairs or politics, is it any wonder that there would be speculation around his death?

I have to say, I found this book remarkably interesting. I had no idea that Warren Harding was such a player, as he would be colloquially termed. As a senator, he was paying for multiple mistresses and his wife. Later, it was thought that the best way to get to warren was through Florence, his wife, as he appeared to have a penchant for his wife's friends.

While I liked this aspect, my favorite part was seeing glimpses into the real people behind the characters. The author included sources and typed copies of letters that were written. It helped see them as real people and provided the piece an air of authenticity.

That said, I found multiple negatives. I discovered numerous grammatical mistakes from the beginning. Many of these appeared to be punctuation errors; however, many were easy mistakes an editor should have caught, leading me to believe this was not professionally edited.

Additionally, I found myself bored and confused. The book started too early in Warren's life for me. Consequently, I felt done with the book halfway through. Decreasing the length of the book and background information could produce a more engaging story. Further, the author seemed to create too many side stories that diverged from the main storyline. It resembled a poorly designed attempt to lead readers in a different direction of the mystery.

Overall, given the above considerations, I have to give the book one out of four stars. I simply cannot award two or more stars due to these obstacles. At this time, I would not recommend the book, though I think it can significantly improve with additional edits.

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The Harding Murders
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[Suzer6440 xyz]

Thanks for the great review.