A Rewarding Mystery: A Review of Old Loves Die Hard

My Book Review of Old Loves Die Hard by Lauren Carr:

The second book in the Mac Faraday mystery series, Old Loves Die Hard by Lauren Carr is just as enjoyable as the first. It is another satisfying murder mystery chock full of fascinating characters.

This time around, Mac Faraday’s ex-wife comes calling, bringing a lot of old baggage and some dead bodies, including hers. Mac becomes a suspect in his ex-wife’s murder, but ends up investigating the killing. He delves into his past, both personal and professional, to find answers and the killer.

The charm of the first book remains consistent in Old Loves Die Hard, with its compelling main character the strongest asset of the novel. The author provides a nice bit of character development as well, in both the ongoing relationship between Mac and Archie and insight into his previous marriage. The well-rounded characterization is astutely managed.

The plot is solid as well, spinning several threads and then pulling them into a nice tight conclusion. Several suspects are juggled nicely until the final reveal, which provides an interesting, and fateful denouement.

Overall, I can recommend Old Loves Die Hard, as a gratifying murder mystery and a great read.   

You can find Old Loves Die Hard and the rest of the Mac Faraday on Amazon.

Million Dollar Murder: A Review of It's Murder, My Son by Lauren Carr

My Book Review of It's Murder, My Son: 

It’s Murder, My Son by Lauren Carr is an entertaining mystery romp.  It’s perfect for a rainy day read or a relaxing weekend.

The first book in the Mac Faraday mystery series, It’s Murder, My Son, begins with a new chapter in former homicide detective Mac Faraday’s life.  Recently divorced, he finds himself the heir to a multimillion dollar fortune of a late mystery author, a woman who was the birth mother he never knew.  And along with the money and property, he inherits a couple of murders and a whole lot of trouble.

I enjoyed reading this novel.  It had a nice pace, charming and believable characters and reasonably good conflict, while never losing its sense of fun.  The main character of Mac Faraday was especially likable and I was pleased with the way the author had him interact with his new world.  There was no smooth transition to the world of money; he behaved like an uncomfortable fish out of water.  I also liked the main female character/love interest of Archie; she’s smart funny and there’s a nice chemistry with Mac.

I did have a few slight problems with the storyline in that I found some of the plot points a bit easy to figure out, although the author does give the reader plausible reasons as to why the characters haven’t come to the same conclusions.  Also, there were one or two twists that I didn’t see coming, so the plotline considerations are minor quibbles.  Overall I can give this book a recommend.


It’s Murder, My Son can be found on Amazon in Print and Kindle formats