Rating: 
Summary: Great New Start to a Series...
Review: "High Rhymes and Misdemeanors" by Diana Killian is the first book in the "Poetic Death Mystery Series" and it is a great start. Killian develops her characters beautifully.Scholastic - looking, "serious-minded" Grace Hollister, who is in her early 30's,is an American teacher at St. Anne's Academy for Girls. While on vacation in England's Lake District, to study and explore the historical sites of her favorite poets, she rescues the submerged form of Peter Fox, lying face down in a stream. Grace soon discovers that she, herself, is unwittingly submersed in a mystery, as she seeks to recover a relic of Lord Byron's, which will shed profound literary light on his life. Although, many parts of this novel read a little too much like a "Gothic Romance," Diana Killian's magnificent command of prose and dialogue carry it to the next level. I was so impressed with her choice of words. "The stream chattered merrily over the rocks, undeterred by the motionless form of the man lying facedown in the shallow water," and thus begins Chapter 1. One reviewer, discussing a different mystery writer, was perturbed over the constant use of the words, "muttered," etc.= and started to underline them and counted over a 100. Killian could tutor that author because I was amazed at the different words of action as she variously indicated dialogue. Truly brilliant writing, which I believe is only going to get better with intricate, fresh plots. I will definitely await her next "Grace and Peter" book!
Rating:
Summary: Great New Start to a Series...
Review: "High Rhymes and Misdemeanors" by Diana Killian is the first book in the "Poetic Death Mystery Series" and it is a great start. Killian develops her characters beautifully. Scholastic - looking, "serious-minded" Grace Hollister, who is in her early 30's,is an American teacher at St. Anne's Academy for Girls. While on vacation in England's Lake District, to study and explore the historical sites of her favorite poets, she rescues the submerged form of Peter Fox, lying face down in a stream. Grace soon discovers that she, herself, is unwittingly submersed in a mystery, as she seeks to recover a relic of Lord Byron's, which will shed profound literary light on his life. Although, many parts of this novel read a little too much like a "Gothic Romance," Diana Killian's magnificent command of prose and dialogue carry it to the next level. I was so impressed with her choice of words. "The stream chattered merrily over the rocks, undeterred by the motionless form of the man lying facedown in the shallow water," and thus begins Chapter 1. One reviewer, discussing a different mystery writer, was perturbed over the constant use of the words, "muttered," etc.= and started to underline them and counted over a 100. Killian could tutor that author because I was amazed at the different words of action as she variously indicated dialogue. Truly brilliant writing, which I believe is only going to get better with intricate, fresh plots. I will definitely await her next "Grace and Peter" book!
Rating:
Summary: Jolly Good Fun!
Review: An American school teacher stumbles over a body while on vacation in the English Lake District. Soon she is involved in a break-neck race to find what she and her partner-in-crime (an ex-jewel thief) believe to be a missing manuscript by the Romantic poet Lord Byron. Maybe it's true that there's nothing new under the sun, but newcomer Diana Killian dusts off some very hoary mystery chestnuts and serves them up in delightful concoction of wit, romance and mystery. Secret passages, eccentric villagers, loony villains--and a house to die for! I received this one for Christmas and couldn't put it down until I finished it on Boxing Day morning.
Rating:
Summary: Jolly Good Fun!
Review: An American school teacher stumbles over a body while on vacation in the English Lake District. Soon she is involved in a break-neck race to find what she and her partner-in-crime (an ex-jewel thief) believe to be a missing manuscript by the Romantic poet Lord Byron. Maybe it's true that there's nothing new under the sun, but newcomer Diana Killian dusts off some very hoary mystery chestnuts and serves them up in delightful concoction of wit, romance and mystery. Secret passages, eccentric villagers, loony villains--and a house to die for! I received this one for Christmas and couldn't put it down until I finished it on Boxing Day morning.
Rating:
Summary: Just the book to end a busy day with..
Review: As a mystery writer, I need a rollicking good book to end a day filled with conjuring murder and mayhem. High Rhymes and Misdemeanors filled that need perfectly! Grace and Peter are truly a dynamic duo. I had more fun following them as they tried to solve a murder, and laughed my you-know-what off as they bumped into characters that were hilarious. Diana Killian has a unique talent to keep you wondering who the killer is while you have fun just watching the great cast she created. I'm going to have to buy all her books now! And so should you!
Rating:
Summary: Just the book to end a busy day with..
Review: As a mystery writer, I need a rollicking good book to end a day filled with conjuring murder and mayhem. High Rhymes and Misdemeanors filled that need perfectly! Grace and Peter are truly a dynamic duo. I had more fun following them as they tried to solve a murder, and laughed my you-know-what off as they bumped into characters that were hilarious. Diana Killian has a unique talent to keep you wondering who the killer is while you have fun just watching the great cast she created. I'm going to have to buy all her books now! And so should you!
Rating:
Summary: A really great read
Review: Californian Grace Hollister knew she could do the research for her doctorate in the Romantic poets just as easily at home, but she felt it would be more fun to do it on her first trip to Britain with fellow teacher Monica. But from the beginning, things don't work out as planned. Monica deserts Grace to go off with a professor she knew from her college days in the UK. Then Grace saves the life of a mysterious man, who doesn't seem the least bit surprised that someone tried to murder him, but doesn't know who and won't explain why. Thus begins a madcap adventure that has so many twists and turns that readers can't skip even a paragraph. Adding to the fun for the readers are the lighthearted banter and the budding romance between Grace and the enigmatic Peter Fox, who admits to a past that makes him "of interest" to the police but insists that he has reformed. Anyone interested in the life and poetry of Byron will find much of interest in this book. But that's not a prerequisite for enjoyment. At some points, it's hard to take all of the action seriously.(How many different times does Grace get kidnapped and have to escape?) But the read is so fast and so delightful that you won't realize any faults until after you've read the last page -- and by then you don't mind a bit. The only problem is that the publisher promises the next book in the series in October 2004, a whole year away. I don't want to wait that long to continue the future adventures of Grace and Peter.
Rating:
Summary: Suspense from the first sentence!
Review: Diana Killian's HIGH RHYMES AND MISDEMEANORS transports you to the Lake District of England, in the footsteps of the Romantic poets. Grace Hollister is there on vacation from her teaching position at St. Anne's Academy for Girls in Los Angeles, and to do research for her doctoral dissertation on the poets of the Romantic period. If you think that sounds like a tame, pastoral and rather too academic stroll, this mystery will surprise you from the first sentence, when Grace Hollister finds a man lying face down in a stream, left for dead by an unknown assailant. Within a few pages you'll be caught up in the story, standing in the woods at dusk near Grace's hotel, sensing that a sinister presence lingers nearby in the deepening English twilight. Grace resuscitates the drowning man, who turns out to be Peter Fox, her charming, if evasive, fellow guest at the Tinker's Dam, and owner of an antiques shop called Rogue's Gallery. By coming to Peter's aid Grace unwittingly places herself dead in the path of various thugs in pursuit of the gewgaws they think Peter Fox has in his possession. What gewgaws, you ask? Even Peter Fox doesn't know precisely what the items are that all these people think he has. Meanwhile Grace learns that Peter Fox has a shady past, and that someone involved in her misadventure is willing to do murder. Grace at times regrets ever having helped the annoyingly attractive Mr. Fox to begin with, while her journey through the Lake District carries her from the picturesque hotel where she's been staying to a deserted farmhouse, to Peter Fox's historic Craddock House with its mysterious nooks and crannies, and even to a decrepit old estate with a claustrophobic family crypt. Grace finds herself caught up in the excitement when she begins to suspect that the gewgaws in question might have something to do with her favorite subject of study, the poet Lord Byron. Wielding action, humor, memorable characters, and just a wee taste of poetry to her advantage, Diana Killian has crafted a fast-paced tale that is full of wit and charm. The chemistry between Grace and Peter is coupled with dialog that breaks the reader into chuckles and a few outright guffaws. A few scene changes seemed a tiny bit abrupt, but I had just finished reading a much slower paced book, so it could be my brain was musty. This madcap mystery offers lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek entertainment. I recommend HIGH RHYMES AND MISDEMEANORS for anyone who likes their murder seasoned with humor, and for the reader of more serious fiction who needs to get their head out of the cobwebs and have some fun. Diana Killian's next installment in the Poetic Death Mystery series, VERSE OF THE VAMPYRE, is due out in October 2004.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun Romantic Mystery
Review: Grace Hollister is on a working vacation researching the Romantic poets in England for her doctorate. One night, she stumbles on a man face down in a stream. She manages to revive Peter Fox, and the two share drinks in the bar. But when she is kidnapped the next day to make Peter do something, she realizes there is much more going on then meets the eye. Now she must team up with Peter, who is hiding a past of his own, to solve this mystery before both of them are as dead as the poets she loves to study. I really enjoyed this book. The plot gets a little convoluted at times, so you really need to pay attention. There is one major plot point that doesn't seem to be resolved. This really did bother me. The book is equal parts mystery and romance, and the romance aspect is more pronounced then I normally like, but I really enjoyed it. The two lead characters are interesting and entertaining. I especially loved Peter's sarcasm and Grace's resourcefulness. While not as completely wrapped up as it seems like it should have been, this is still a worthwhile book. Pick it up and hang on for the wild ride ahead. I can't wait for the next in this fun series.
Rating:
Summary: Fun Romantic Mystery
Review: Grace Hollister is on a working vacation researching the Romantic poets in England for her doctorate. One night, she stumbles on a man face down in a stream. She manages to revive Peter Fox, and the two share drinks in the bar. But when she is kidnapped the next day to make Peter do something, she realizes there is much more going on then meets the eye. Now she must team up with Peter, who is hiding a past of his own, to solve this mystery before both of them are as dead as the poets she loves to study. I really enjoyed this book. The plot gets a little convoluted at times, so you really need to pay attention. There is one major plot point that doesn't seem to be resolved. This really did bother me. The book is equal parts mystery and romance, and the romance aspect is more pronounced then I normally like, but I really enjoyed it. The two lead characters are interesting and entertaining. I especially loved Peter's sarcasm and Grace's resourcefulness. While not as completely wrapped up as it seems like it should have been, this is still a worthwhile book. Pick it up and hang on for the wild ride ahead. I can't wait for the next in this fun series.
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