This wasn't quite as strong as the first entry in the series (the murderer was more obvious) but was still very enjoyable. ( )

Ill Met by Murder is a perplexing addition to Elizabeth J. Duncan's delightfully entertaining Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery series. This latest release in this wonderful cozy mystery starring amateur sleuth Charlotte Fairfax can easily be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend the previous novel as well.

Charlotte and her assistant Aaron Jacobs once again find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation when real estate mogul Hugh Hedley is killed on the estate of the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company's biggest fundraiser, Paula Van Dusen. This year's fundraising production is also part of the celebration for the upcoming wedding of Paula's daughter Belinda and her fiancé Adrian Archer, Hugh's biggest competitor in the real estate world. With her curiosity piqued by tension in the bridal party and snippets of overheard conversations, Charlotte does a little investigating on her own as she tries to piece together who killed Hugh.

With the latest production going smoothly, Charlotte has plenty of time to see if she can figure out a motive for Hugh's murder. Paula confides to her that she believes that his death might have been a case of mistaken identity and that her prospective son-in-law Adrian could have been the intended target. Charlotte is unsure whether there is any truth to Paula's claims since she has made no secret of the fact that she disapproves of Belinda's fiancé. A little digging into the men's business dealings reveals they have been involved an extremely contentious real estate transaction but is this a motive for murder?

In between looking for clues to the identity of Adrian's killer, Charlotte is doing the preliminary work that needs to be done in order to open a theater school. Securing the funding and locating a property for the school are top priorities and she is finally making a little headway on the project. After looking at a nearby house that would be perfect for the school, Charlotte makes a puzzling discovery that inadvertently puts her in harm's way. After she learns the truth about a long held family secret, will Charlotte finally have the evidence she needs to identify Adrian's killer?

With a cast of eccentric characters, an intriguing mystery and a clever storyline, Ill Met for Murder is another marvelous installment in the Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery series. Elizabeth J. Duncan offers several plausible motives for the murder along with a vast pool of suspects which makes it virtually impossible for readers to guess the killer's identity until the novel's rather dramatic conclusion. I highly recommend this spectacular whodunit to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries. ( )

was calling to me from the new books shelves at my local library, and I listened.

Our heroine, Charlotte Fairfax, is the costume designer for the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company. The company puts on an annual fundraiser at the home of their wealthy patroness, the widowed Paula Van Dusen. (I could just hear Mr. Collins gushing about Lady Catherine de Bourgh in the Greer Garson - Laurence Olivier version of 'Pride and Prejudice'. Luckily, Paula is no Lady Catherine.)

Paula is not happy with her daughter, Belinda's, choice of a groom. Mother may not know best about everything, but I'm with her about Adrian Archer. Still, Paula is putting on a fantastic wedding and the annual fundraiser for the Shakespeare company will be part of it.

There will be a murder. I did not figure out who committed it or why. There will be character developments, including Charlotte's romance with Walker's Ridge local police chief, Ray Nicholson. There will also be mention of previous deaths, ruled accidents, for the suspicious cozy fan to speculate about.

I enjoyed the characters, the snippets of information about costumes and Elizabethan performances of Shakespeare's plays. Brides-to-be might like the tips about fitting wedding and bridesmaids' gowns.

There are three mothers among the characters. How things used to for women in the Bad Old Days will come up. I was a child and a teen during the Women's Liberation Movement, but I grew up on old books. I'm very grateful that my parents had advanced views about their daughters' education versus marriage. If you're a female reader born after the movement and unfamiliar about how things used to be for us, you may well give thanks for the bullet you dodged after you finish this book.

CHAPTER NOTES:

Chapter 3: 'The Scottish play' is the euphemism for 'Macbeth' among actors because saying the play's name inside a theater is supposed to be bad luck.

Chapter 14: Occam's razor is mentioned.

Chapter 24: Saks Fifth Avenue and Barney's are mentioned.

Chapter 26: Devil's Path is a real hiking trail.

Chapter 31: Look here for a self-defense tip regarding duct tape.

Chapter 32: A Dixieland jazz band is playing 'Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home'. You may hear Arthur Collins sing that song here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3seUny2pB8 (This is the song that Jane parodied in that Miss Solar System episode of 'The Jetsons'): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKvkuGhZI2Q

Cat lovers are out of luck.
Dog lovers, have fun with Rupert the tricolor corgi, and Mandy the white poodle.

This book wasn't so good that I want my own copy, but it was good enough that I already asked my library to put a hold on the earlier book, Untimely Death. I like the main characters and plan to follow this series. ( )

The book is a great and entertaining cozy mystery. The details are so good that I might possibly have been on stage with the characters. The story goes at a good pace and I found myself really enjoying the book. It was an interesting concept to have the story set during a production of none other than a Shakespeare play. That sure does bring back memories from school when i had to learn lines from his multitude of plays.

It's time for another big time production at the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company. The town is all excited as it brings in a much needed fundraising. Paula Van Dusen reminds me of a snotty well to do person who has many ties to wealthy people. She is known to be the biggest name around to bring in the money when needed. It just so happens that this year's production also will include a celebration for her daughter's upcoming wedding. Now how convenient is that? Two parties for the price of one sounds a little fishy but we will have to see if Paula can pull it off.

Things don't go well as the party gets into full swing. The bride and her fiancé have a little competition going with a fellow guest at the party. What a coincidence that Adrian the fiancé is a real estate mogul and who else is there? Well it's none other than his biggest enemy oops I mean competitor Hugh. Who do you suppose is found dead at the fundraiser?

Charlotte who has become an amateur sleuth . With her able assistant they decide to snoop or perhaps look around for clues. Why does it feel a little chilly among the bridesmaids? Do they know something about the murder? The tension mounts as fingers are pointed and hypothetical guesses are made on why there was a murder? Is it tied to Adrian and his real estate dealings? Is he hiding something from everyone? The story is a fun read with a cast of wonderful characters. There are secrets and twists that will have readers on the edge of their seat. Will Charlotte and her side kick find themselves in danger as they try to unravel this fun mystery?

I received a copy of this book from The Goodreads Giveaway Program. This is my honest opinion. ( )