Kemper Donovan

This is a quick, witty murder mystery set in Maine, paying homage to the Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes sleuths. A ghostwriter is given an assignment to write the memoir for Sen. Dorothy Gibson, failed presidential candidate, blamed for the election going to a terrible man. When the ghostwriter shows up to the estate, she begins gathering notes, but this is interrupted when a woman they met the day before ends up dead. Now Dorothy wants to solve the murder, and has enlisted the ghostwriter's help.
It is a fun and engaging mystery, and I did laugh many times. I did suspect something similar to the reveal, but couldn't quite work it out. Clever, and the start of a new series, which should be fun to read.… (mehr)

A murder, a ghost writer and a powerful, curious woman with too much time on her hands all converge in this Agatha Christy-ish murder mystery where nothing is really as it seems. Full of clever, funny and witty banter this story is sure to please any mystery lover. There are also a lot of references to current cultural events and icons which helps bring the humor meter up even higher. The narrator was excellent and did a great job with all the characters, each was very distinctive. Definitely a fun read. Recommended.

Many thanks to Net Galley for the ARC audio version of this enjoyable book.… (mehr)

The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan

Former Senator and Presidential candidate Dorthoy Gibson is a much talked about (interesting) woman. Set to have a Ghost Writer pen a tell all book, she is thrilled. When Dorothy's neighbor ends up dead, the unlikly pair team up to investigate.

A fast paced who-done-it with two strong female leads. Engaging dialog, a list of suspects and plenty of secrets. Masterfully told with an unmaed narrator known only as "Ghost Writer" added an air of mystique to this fanstic mystery.

Overall I found The Busy Body very enjoyable. I highly recommend to those who enjoy a great murder/mystery. I look forward to more from Kemper Donovan.… (mehr)

A fun, tight little traditional mystery set in the Maine woods, with a Hillary Clinton-like character (Dorothy Gibson) and her ghostwriter as the sleuthing duo. It was convenient to be able to imagine Hillary and build the rest of the character from there, and I have no trouble at all imagining Hillary solving mysteries. The ghostwriter is suitably snarky, and Dorothy conveniently has a hot bodyguard for her to be attracted to. The mystery unfolds in a conference center mostly made of glass, which always adds to the creepy factor ("In a Dark, Dark Wood" by Ruth Ware; "The Glass Hotel" by Emily St. John Mandel).… (mehr)