Last Lessons of Summer

Rating:
Summary: A bit melodramatic but enjoyable mystery
Review: Amy Steadman, a generally content young woman comes to North Carolina to dispose of her grandmother's posessions. As Amy explores the old house, her doubts and concerns emerge: about her grandmother's murder in an apparent burglary; about Amy's own marriage, and most of all about Amy's mother's suicide in the house when Amy was three.

In the process Amy finds some answers about her family, about herself, and about the murderer.

While at times unnecessarily melodramatic, for the most part the book features well-described characters, and Amy herself is sympathetic enough to attract reader's sympathy. The plot's twists keep up the suspense, and although not a classic detective story, there is enough of that to appeal to mystery fans.

--inotherworlds.com

Rating:
Summary: Southern Melodrama
Review: As a big fan of Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series, I was really looking forward to reading this stand-alone book. Unfortunately I was disappointed by what I found. The book has the obligatory complex family tree at the beginning and a beleagured heroine in Amy Steadman, the main heiress of her grandmother's fortune. After her grandmother's untimely death, supposedly at the hands of a mysterious intruder, Amy goes to her North Carolina home to clean up her things and sign the papers to sell the house. She becomes reacquainted with family members whom she hasn't seen in years, and discovers that all of them stand to benefit financially from her grandmother's death. She also looks into her mother's suicide which occurred when she was a small child. On top of this, Amy suspects that her husband Eric is having an affair, but actually has nothing to prove it. She flirts with a law officer in North Carolina and keeps putting off her husband's calls, a jarring note to her supposedly decent character. Her half-sister Beth appears on the scene and her character zigs and zags its way thorugh the book in a way that lacks credence. After reading this book, I look forward to the next Deborah Knott story with great anticipation.

Rating:
Summary: Southern Melodrama
Review: As a big fan of Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series, I was really looking forward to reading this stand-alone book. Unfortunately I was disappointed by what I found. The book has the obligatory complex family tree at the beginning and a beleagured heroine in Amy Steadman, the main heiress of her grandmother's fortune. After her grandmother's untimely death, supposedly at the hands of a mysterious intruder, Amy goes to her North Carolina home to clean up her things and sign the papers to sell the house. She becomes reacquainted with family members whom she hasn't seen in years, and discovers that all of them stand to benefit financially from her grandmother's death. She also looks into her mother's suicide which occurred when she was a small child. On top of this, Amy suspects that her husband Eric is having an affair, but actually has nothing to prove it. She flirts with a law officer in North Carolina and keeps putting off her husband's calls, a jarring note to her supposedly decent character. Her half-sister Beth appears on the scene and her character zigs and zags its way thorugh the book in a way that lacks credence. After reading this book, I look forward to the next Deborah Knott story with great anticipation.

Rating:
Summary: Judge Knott, Where Are you?
Review: As a big fan of Maron's Judge Knott series, I was very much looking forward to Last Lessons of Summer. Unfortunately, it was a real disappointment. A trite, contrived plot with stick figure characters---nothing at all like the quality of the Judge Knott series.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely a Good Read
Review: Enjoyed this even more than her Knotts books. Very smooth, with lots of "He/she could have done it". Well, worth giving a try if you've read the author before and certainly a good starter book for future Maron followers.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely a Good Read
Review: Enjoyed this even more than her Knotts books. Very smooth, with lots of "He/she could have done it". Well, worth giving a try if you've read the author before and certainly a good starter book for future Maron followers.

Rating:
Summary: Not a Knott but a good read
Review: Enjoyed this more than I thought I would with it not being a Deborah Knott. So many relatives was a bit much to get a feel for all at once, but maybe that was the point. I wish she'd send Amy back home to stay or get busy on another D. Knott.

Rating:
Summary: If you like the Deborah Knott Series, Read this!
Review: I am a huge fan of Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series, and I totally enjoyed this book. Some of the Knott series characters make appearances in this book as well, but the main characters are all new. I read this book while on vacation, and was disappointed I didn't save more of it to read on the airplane ride home...so I reread the last 4 chapters! Is this the best Margaret Maron book that I've read? Well, no. But it was fun, and like her other books set in North Carolina, you feel immersed in the sweet Southern charm of the "Old North State!"

Rating:
Summary: Missing Deb'rah
Review: I enjoyed this book, but I missed Deborah Knott and Mr. Kezzie and the others. I was glad to see Dwight and the FBI man show up but wished they had been more instrumental in the plot. Certainly worth your time, but not as funny as the other books by Ms. Maron.

Rating:
Summary: Missing Deb'rah
Review: I enjoyed this book, but I missed Deborah Knott and Mr. Kezzie and the others. I was glad to see Dwight and the FBI man show up but wished they had been more instrumental in the plot. Certainly worth your time, but not as funny as the other books by Ms. Maron.