I had read a book called "The Agatha Christie Book Club" - which, much like this one, was about a book group who found themselves embroiled in a real life mystery. While I ultimately found that book rather melodramatic at times, it was engaging and entertaining. I was hoping for much the same from this. Instead I think I stumbled into an Golden Girls-esque soap opera. I couldn't finish it and stopped around 37%.

Hazel's ex-husband's current wife dies at their book group's meeting. Did she commit suicide as it looks or was something else going on?

There are so many characters introduced in this book that I was confused as to who did what and how did they fit in. After I figured it out the book got better. I enjoyed the mystery. I had no idea the who or what until it started being explained to me. I liked the characters especially as they got weeded out and it seems as if there will be fewer characters in the next book. I enjoyed watching Hazel working to figure out who was involved and why. When she did it was an epiphany. I look forward to more of her. ( )

When author and member of the murder mystery book club Carlene is found dead of cyanide poising at the book club meeting, members are both mystified and mystified. A suicide note is found by the body, but no one believes Carlee was the type for suicide. Hazel Rose, who founded the club with Carlee, sets out to discover what exactly led to and caused Carlene’s death.

This is an interesting cozy mystery, but I think the book was about fifty t seventy-five pages too long, which led to the storyline dragging. I think the author spent too much time dwelling on the local gossip that involved club members and too much time searching for a woman who had approached Carlene during her book signing and club meeting and disappeared afterward. Yes, she was an important clue to the plot, but a lot of the time the main characters were spinning their wheels looking for her was not necessary to the plot. In addition, the main character Hazel becomes totally involved in and almost overwhelmed by the local gossip that revolves around the club members, their histories, their actions and events that they were involved and which affected them in some way (not always relevant). The only purpose this all served in the book was to make it more difficult to follow, added dozens of characters who really had little or no relevance and confused the reader, and made the book a much longer, slower read. The story is an interesting one, and, in my opinion, would have been better presented in a shorter, more concise way. I had some difficulty getting through it, and I think it was because the book went on and on and on—I kept hoping for some resolution amid all the gossip/history.

The fact that the club was not the usual book club we have come to expect was interesting (members presented “book reviews” of books, in some way related. they had read for club discussion rather than all reading the same book) and creative, on the part of the author. The character development was fairly good. I felt I could relate to the characters and their predicament as well as to their club. I think anyone who enjoys a good cozy mystery will enjoy this one. It is an easy, enjoyable read. I received this from NetGalley to read and provide an honest review. ( )

When Carlene Arness is found dead after drinking tea laced with cyanide while hosting the monthly meeting of the book club she co-founded with Hazel Rose, the members are horrified and puzzled by her death. Though a suicide note is found next to her body, none of them believe she was the type to take her own life and Hazel is determined to prove it.

There are a lot of suspects, maybe even too many, as Hazel discovers that Carlene, married to Hazel’s first husband, hid a dark past. The book club members too keep secrets that give almost all of them, including Hazel, the motive to want Carlene dead. Sex, blackmail, politics and vengeance are all part of the affray.

Murder at the Book Group has all the ingredients for a good mystery – a layered plot, an interesting cast with plenty of secrets and a great setting for book lovers (the murder takes place during a book club meeting whose membership includes several published and aspiring mystery writers). Unfortunately I never really connected with the main character, Hazel Rose, and since the story is told in the first person I found my attention wandering more often than it should have.

Murder at the Book Group was just barely an ‘okay’ read for me. ( )