REVIEW: WAITING FOR DEAD MEN'S SHOES (A MINI MONROE COMIC MYSTERY) by LAUREN BARATZ-LOGSTED

Series: n/a
Category/Genre: Women's Fiction/Mystery
Publisher: TKA Distribution
Publication Date: 11/29/12
Format: Kindle
Pages: 203
Source: Received from author for review

Underachiever Minette "Mini" Monroe has long dreamt of how much better life would be if only she were in charge of the world, said world being the independent bookstore in Westport, CT, where she's worked for the past half dozen years. After her beloved boss Colin Quimby is murdered, Mini gets her wish and also gets a chance to solve the case, aided by hot young Officer Michael "Mickey" Maus. Despite his unfortunate nickname - would any woman really voluntarily become part of Mini and Mickey Maus? - Mini takes a shine to him, but there's no real time for romance, not when Mini has her hands full dealing with Colin's viper's nest full of ex-wives, offspring, former business partners and current business rivals, all of whom had good reason to want to see Colin dead. Who will turn out to be the guilty party? The only way to find out is to read WAITING FOR DEAD MEN'S SHOES, a madcap comedic novel that proves that the Shakespeare Unabridged Globe and the Oxford English Dictionary are still a girl's best weapons.

 

Waiting for Dead Men's Shoes is another fun book by Lauren Baratz-Logsted. Now, I know that being a murder mystery, it might seem strange that I describe the book as fun. But with this being the fifth book of Baratz-Logsted's books I've read, I can say that her books are always told with wit and charm.

Waiting for Dead Men's Shoes is not necessarily focused on the murder of Mini's boss, but more on Mini herself. She works in a independent book store, and her observations on the customers was a treat in itself. Mini was tiny but a force to be reckoned with. I love her humor and self-deprecation. I loved that she just charges through life, even though it ends up getting her into ridiculous situations. I'm trying to draw a comparison for Mini and her antics, and the best I have is...Lucy Ricardo? Yeah, think of a modern Lucy Ricardo-ish type of character. Good times.

In the midst of trying to solve her boss's murder, Mini becomes involved with Officer Michael "Mickey" Maus. Yeah...Mini and Micky Maus. It's a little cheesy, but when even the characters poke fun at the names, you can't help but smile. And though the blurb clearly states there isn't a romance in Waiting, I kept hoping the two would find time to make a love connection. I have a feeling there will be a lot of incidents in Mini and Mickey's future to keep the two plenty busy.

I found Waiting for Dead Men's Shoes to be a really light, fast read that had me smiling the entire time.

Favorite Quote:

  "You know," Michael broke the silence, "you're not just run-of-the-mill odd. You're downright peculiar."
  "Thank you." I scratched my scalp. "This damn wig itches."  ~50%

 

Purchase Waiting for Dead Men's Shoes at:

 

About the author:
Lauren grew up in Monroe, CT, where her father owned a drugstore at which her mother was the pharmacist. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut at Storrs, where she majored in psychology. She also has what she calls her “half-Masters” in English from Western Connecticut State University (five courses down, another five to go…someday!).

Throughout college, she worked semester breaks as a doughnut salesperson, a job that she swears gave her white lung disease from all the powdered sugar she breathed.

Upon graduation, she began work at the venerable independent spacebookseller, now sadly defunct as such, Klein’s of Westport. There, she bought and sold for the better part of 11 years.

In November 1994, Lauren left the bookstore to finally take a chance on herself as a writer. Success did not happen over night. Between 1994 and May 2002 – when Red Dress Ink called with an offer to buy THE THIN PINK LINE – Lauren worked as a book reviewer, a freelance editor and writer, and a window washer, making her arguably the only woman in the world who has ever both hosted a book signing party and washed the windows of the late best-selling novelist Robert Ludlum.

Since Red Dress Ink’s call in 2002, Lauren has been kept very busy with writing more novels and checking her Amazon ranking on a daily basis. She still lives in Danbury, with her husband and daughter, where she has lived since 1991.

In addition to writing, Lauren’s daughter keeps her busy, accounting for the rest of her time.

Lauren’s favorite color is green.

Lauren’s favorite non-cat animals are penguins.

Lauren wants you to know that, however you are pronouncing her last name, you are probably pronouncing it wrong.

 

Connect with Lauren at her website.