Murder Among Us

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Interweaving of Plot....
Review: "Murder Among Us" is Jonnie Jacobs' third book in the Kate Austen mystery series. In many ways, I found it to be "darker" than her previous two, but far more intriguing. The plot is suspenseful and takes the reader down many roads as well as through a few blind alleys!

In this riveting mystery, Kate is coping with a visit from her soon to be "ex-mother-in-law." While Andy is no longer living in the same household, he and Kate are still on friendly terms, largely for the sake of their daughter, Anna. Kate has no desire to stay married to her charasmatic, but flighty husband. Her affections are still for the dependable Dectective Michael Stone,who has been living with her - at least prior to her mother-in-law's visit!

Libby continues to live with Kate and continues to be beligerent and sullen in typical fashion of her teenage status. Anna continues to be 5 going on 21.

In addition to Kate's consulting job, she is also teaching art at the local high school. Unfortunately, her work is less satisfying when a student becomes the latest victim of a serial killer. Kate feels compelled to bring relevant information to the police - not only for justice of a dear student, but because she fears that Libby is also being targeted.

"Murder Among Us" shows the extent that Jacobs is excelling at her craft. I especially was appreciative that she more fully explained how Kate was making ends meet as well as her character's realism in dealing with her children. There were times that I found it really difficult to admire the "parenting skills" of the title character because I am more of a disciplinarian - but I have to say that Kate's character and laid-back attitude is FAR more realistic of our society! In the real world, teenagers and children talk back to their parents!

This is a very good mystery series, which keeps improving. I look forward to reading the next sequel, "Murder Among Strangers."

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Interweaving of Plot....
Review: "Murder Among Us" is Jonnie Jacobs' third book in the Kate Austen mystery series. In many ways, I found it to be "darker" than her previous two, but far more intriguing. The plot is suspenseful and takes the reader down many roads as well as through a few blind alleys!

In this riveting mystery, Kate is coping with a visit from her soon to be "ex-mother-in-law." While Andy is no longer living in the same household, he and Kate are still on friendly terms, largely for the sake of their daughter, Anna. Kate has no desire to stay married to her charasmatic, but flighty husband. Her affections are still for the dependable Dectective Michael Stone,who has been living with her - at least prior to her mother-in-law's visit!

Libby continues to live with Kate and continues to be beligerent and sullen in typical fashion of her teenage status. Anna continues to be 5 going on 21.

In addition to Kate's consulting job, she is also teaching art at the local high school. Unfortunately, her work is less satisfying when a student becomes the latest victim of a serial killer. Kate feels compelled to bring relevant information to the police - not only for justice of a dear student, but because she fears that Libby is also being targeted.

"Murder Among Us" shows the extent that Jacobs is excelling at her craft. I especially was appreciative that she more fully explained how Kate was making ends meet as well as her character's realism in dealing with her children. There were times that I found it really difficult to admire the "parenting skills" of the title character because I am more of a disciplinarian - but I have to say that Kate's character and laid-back attitude is FAR more realistic of our society! In the real world, teenagers and children talk back to their parents!

This is a very good mystery series, which keeps improving. I look forward to reading the next sequel, "Murder Among Strangers."

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Interweaving of Plot....
Review: "Murder Among Us" is Jonnie Jacobs' third book in the Kate Austen mystery series. In many ways, I found it to be "darker" than her previous two, but far more intriguing. The plot is suspenseful and takes the reader down many roads as well as through a few blind alleys!

In this riveting mystery, Kate is coping with a visit from her soon to be "ex-mother-in-law." While Andy is no longer living in the same household, he and Kate are still on friendly terms, largely for the sake of their daughter, Anna. Kate has no desire to stay married to her charasmatic, but flighty husband. Her affections are still for the dependable Dectective Michael Stone,who has been living with her - at least prior to her mother-in-law's visit!

Libby continues to live with Kate and continues to be beligerent and sullen in typical fashion of her teenage status. Anna continues to be 5 going on 21.

In addition to Kate's consulting job, she is also teaching art at the local high school. Unfortunately, her work is less satisfying when a student becomes the latest victim of a serial killer. Kate feels compelled to bring relevant information to the police - not only for justice of a dear student, but because she fears that Libby is also being targeted.

"Murder Among Us" shows the extent that Jacobs is excelling at her craft. I especially was appreciative that she more fully explained how Kate was making ends meet as well as her character's realism in dealing with her children. There were times that I found it really difficult to admire the "parenting skills" of the title character because I am more of a disciplinarian - but I have to say that Kate's character and laid-back attitude is FAR more realistic of our society! In the real world, teenagers and children talk back to their parents!

This is a very good mystery series, which keeps improving. I look forward to reading the next sequel, "Murder Among Strangers."

Rating:
Summary: Great summer reading
Review: As with her earlier books, Jacobs kept me turning the pages. She does an excellent job of creating realistic, entertaining characters readers care about, and the writing is smooth and vivid. The plot twists and crisp dialogue keep the story moving along nicely. The story is a nice mix of amateur sleuthing and police procedure, and I especially like that Kate's boyfriend cop asks for her opinion and suggestions on matters where she has more experience than he does. This is a polished, thought-provoking mystery.

Rating:
Summary: Another fine mystery fom the talented Jonnie Jacobs
Review: For the past five months, Kate Austen has lived with her police officer lover as she awaits the final divorce decree from her spouse. However, when her soon to be ex-mother-in-law Faye comes to visit her grandchild, Kate's paramour Michael, being uncomfortable with the situation, moves out of their home. Faye's visit comes at a time when the townsfolk are on edge due to the recently brutal murder of a young woman. When a second murder similar to the first occurs to one of Kate's students, the feisty high school art teacher decides to investigate.

Although Kate has become involved in murder investigations before, this particular one has a very personal edge to it. Kate feels guilty because the victim was to meet with Kate, who missed their appointment when she was called into the principal's office. Life gets very macabre for Kate when her family begins to receive objects that appear to have been sent by the killer. Determined to protect her family, Kate continues to track down the culprit, unaware that when the perpetrator is discovered, grief, not justice for all, will be the judgment.

MURDER AMONG US is the by far the best Kate Austen novel in the series to date because of the brilliant handling of the killer's identity by Jonnie Jones. Although the final revelation feels genuine, readers will find no triumph with the uncovering of the killer's identity, only sorrow that the person was so disturbed as to commit the crimes. Ms. Jones demonstrates a true genius at work by getting readers to feel sympathy for the devil.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Worth reading
Review: I didn't think this was a great book, but I did think it was a good one. The characters are believable for the most part, and Kate is a down-to-earth person whom it was nice to spend some time with. I liked it well enough to order a book from her other series.

Rating:
Summary: Good character development
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It was the first I read by Jonnie Jacobs although the last one written (so far!) by her. I went back a read her earlier 2 books in this series and enjoyed them as well. Reminds me of the Christine Bennett series by Lee Harris (amatuer slueth with policemen mates).

Rating:
Summary: an entertainig novel with substance
Review: Kate Austen is an amateur sleuth, school teacher and mother, so I was expecting a light, maybe even frothy read. To my great delight, it wasn't. It offered more substance instead. The story moves along quickly and there are flashes of humor, but it's subtle humor. The characters seemed very real to me, and the storyline very believable. Kate's relationship with her daughters, her signifiant other and her mother-in-law were all developed and felt right. I intend to search out the author's other books.

Rating:
Summary: Entertainment that makes you think
Review: This is a well-written, entertaining mystery with believable characters. It kept me guessing and turning the pages all the way through. But more than that, it has stayed with me now that I've finished. The plot is a lively one, with many twists and turns. It is also one that has made me think. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: an entertainig novel with substance
Review: This is the first and last Jonnie Jacobs mystery I will ever read. There is little action or suspense in this mystery and I found Kate to be an extremely annoying person all the way around. She was so irritating that I had a hard time getting through the book. Her tendency to constantly hound the police about every little thing she uncovered and her belief that she could solve the case faster than the police did not endear her to me. In addition, I found that I could not work up much excitement about the other characters or Kate's relationship with Michael. Although this "mystery" is written to center on Kate, I feel that I might have enjoyed it had the author bothered to actually write a mystery. Two thumbs down.