Susan McCormick

When the Fog Ladies (most of them, anyway) decide to join a senior dating group, it seems there is a dearth of men. However, Olivia Honeycutt has reconnected with an old beau from high school. Even though the others might be suspicious of him, Olivia is happy with her Malcolm, and he seems to be so with her. But one of the group's members -- a man named Graham Parselle, seems overly friendly with some of the senior women. He's not afraid to break hearts, and with his trim figure and nice face, women can't help but fall for him. But it's Graham who's fallen -- right off a cliff on a senior hike. While the police think it was an accident, the Ladies aren't so sure, and they're again on a case to find a murderer...

I must admit that I have never read any of the other books in this series (as there are so many books out there and I just haven't gotten to these yet!). But I also have to admit that I enjoyed this one very much. Many of the characters are interesting, and the Fog Ladies are given enough in their descriptions that even if you haven't read the other books, you are able to decipher what they look like and act like. While I did enjoy interacting with many of them, I also have to say that by the end of the book I was, myself, wanting to throw Enid Carmichael into the ocean. Yes, I said it. She's annoying and pushy, and is wrong on so many counts that I won't list here. Read the book and draw your own conclusions. (Okay, mini-rant done!)

Other than that, the book was filled with questions surrounding the murder (because, of course, we know that it was, even if the police don't), and I loved how the Ladies went about trying to figure it out. Then another murder occurs, which puts the Ladies on high alert, and now they're wondering if one of their own is the next target.

Sarah, their friend and medical resident, has problems of her own. She's still figuring out her new relationship with boyfriend Andy, and trying to get a fellowship at the hospital where she works. She has little free time, but is more than willing to help the Ladies -- and it's a good thing, too -- when she can.

When the ending comes and we reach the climax, it's both satisfying and rewarding. While I knew the murderer before they did (once again I will say that I read a lot of mysteries, so most times it comes easy for me), still, I liked how it all came together. I will say that I am going to go back to the first in the series and see how the Ladies started. Recommended.

I received a free copy of this book through the author and Voracious Readers, but this in no way influenced my review.… (mehr)

Thanks to the author for a gifted copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.

I wanted to read this cozy because it took place in San Francisco, where I lived for 18 years. This is #2 in the series and the first one I read. You can easily read this as a standalone. The Fog Ladies are a group of seniors living in a San Francisco-based apartment building. Various personalities and life situations take a bit of time to sort out. Including Sarah, a young medical student, helped to give the story a broader perspective. I liked the extra dimensions of the primary characters. In addition to solving the murders, some are dealing with aging, grief, loss, and family issues. This made the novel more realistic, which I prefer to the sometimes slapstick style of some cozies.

I give this one 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for keeping me guessing who the murderer was. Even with some chapters written from the murderer's point of view, there were several possible suspects. I liked the clever climax when the murderer is confronted - it was unpredictable and exciting.

What didn't work - referring to the same character both as Mrs. Noonan and Frances on the same page. That made me have to keep track of twice as many characters. Also, the Fog Ladies group could have been smaller. Some of the women seemed to be unnecessary "filler."

What did work - focusing on the emotional growth of some of the Fog Ladies: the acceptance of lifestyle changes of widowhood, confidence despite aging issues, the creative teamwork and problem-solving, the generosity of initiating the project with women prisoners.

This was a satisfying and entertaining read.… (mehr)

I received this book from Netgalley and have written an honest review.
A quick and interesting read with some violence but not too graphic. The characters are well fleshed out and remind you of people you know.The setting is realistic and it was an entertaining story.
An intern at a local hospital moves into the building and becomes acquainted with a group of senior citizens who are very upset by the death of one of their friends. Soon after, another death occures, considered an accident. The group, known as the Fog Ladies, ask Sarah to verify that they were natural deaths, which she does. Over the next few months two more of the members suffer near fatal accidents. Suspicion is aroused but what could be the motive?
The mystery was fairly easy to solve but I kept reading to find out how the author tied things up. An enjoyable read.
Two things stood out as off track. The ladies, being my age , probably wouldn't be urging Sarah to find a nice young man. That was my grandmother's generation. Also the gun wasn't a good idea after so much effort at making things accidental or natural.… (mehr)