Laura Alden (1)

“Curse of the PTA” by Laura Alden
I realized after finishing this book, I don’t read enough cozies. I forget how delightful and entertaining they are. “Curse of the PTA” is definitely one of those.
Beth Kennedy is a bookstore owner, mom, President of the PTA, and police consultant. Police consultant, you ask? Sounds rather odd for someone who seems to be a wholesome, small town woman. True, but apparently Beth has a habit of coming across dead bodies and has an ability to find out some of the most inane information that to most, would seem like nothing, but ends up leading her to suspects. Some right, some…not-so-right.
Dennis Halpern is a financial consultant and Beth has him at a PTA meeting to discuss possible choices of investing the PTA’s money. But before he gets too much of a chance to actually say a few words, he’s shot and killed. How bad is this PTA anyway?
Alden’s story is enjoyable and I love the wit she throws in. Definitely recommended. Make it your next book you bring to the beach this summer.

Reviewed by Starr Gardinier Reina, author of “The Other Side: Melinda’s Story”… (mehr)

Meet Beth - she is a bookstore owner (and nope, at least this book's action is not related to the bookstore), a divorced mother of a girl and a boy and at the beginning of the book is convinced to become the PTA (Parents Teachers Association) secretary. And all sounds just fine except that the principal of the school has her own ideas for renovations in the school... and don't want to listen to PTA. Until she turns up dead.

And of course Beth manages to find a way to get involved in the whole mess and starts investigating. As it turns out a lot of people are not what they seem to be and at the end the truth will come out and reveal a few old and new secrets.

As a mystery, it works. What really bothered me though was the old kindergarten friend that not just remember her but remembers strange moments from all these years ago. Add to this his behavior and it sounds almost as if the author decided that she need a love interest and just stuck him here in the worst possible way. It's just way too unrealistic, even in such a series. But even with that issue, it is written well, most of the characters are developed to some extent and an interesting start to a new series. And bets are open on who will be the next character that gets a surprise baby... :)… (mehr)

Usually, I don’t get the chance to read more than one or two cozies in a series but this one is an exception. I have read all but one of this PTA series. Because of that reading about the same characters, Beth, the hardworking PTA president, single mom and owner of a children’s bookstore, Jenna, her daughter who is an ice hockey star and Oliver, her son who has a crush on the school’s new vice principal, it felt like old home week. They live in a Rynwood, Wisconsin and this story takes place in the winter with plenty of snow and ice.

The 80th anniversary of the Rynwood Elementary School PTA is coming up and that is burning poor Beth out. She is having dizzy spells, not eating enough and not getting enough sleep. So all of her friends have planning an intervention. Of course, Beth is too tired to notice that she is going over the edge with too much work. They are dividing up Beth’s chores like fixing up dinner for her kids, getting entertainment for the big do for the PTA and doing extra at the bookstore.

The anniversary celebration goes off beautifully but one of the attendees gets sick and eventually dies. She dies of acetaminophen poisoning. Off course, the police assume that it was accidental that she probably forgot how much she was taking. Thanks to the author for bringing this up. I knew a nurse who used to work in the kidney unit and she told me to always be careful when I take it, not to take too much. After that, I am always very careful. You can be take too much by accident. Anyway, Beth finds evidence that proves that it is not accidental.

I liked the plot and learning about the victim was fascinating from her numerous collection of cookie cutters, how she got the name of Cookie and how she got people mad! Now I am hoping that I can read the book that I missed from this series. I recommend this book to cozy readers with experience working for the PTA.… (mehr)

Only in a small town! When Beth Kennedy's well meaning friends decide to take over most of the mundane chores in her life so she can have a break, the murder of a Rynwood resident sends her sleuthing again. While I really like the characters in this charming series, I found there was a lot going on in this installment. Beth's best friend Marina is always such a stalwart sidekick, but her secrets, which aren't delved into very deeply, kept her at arm's length. It seems that could have made for a mystery in itself. Overall, this is one very well written cozy series that I will always make time for.… (mehr)