Rating: 
Summary: Yes, I wonder, too
Review: But amateur sleuths are always nosy about something and if they weren't, their authors would be writing other stories. I thought that this was one of the more intricate entries in this series and I enjoyed it a lot.
Rating: 
Summary: Can two murders in two states be related?
Review: Christine Bennett (an ex-nun) was cleaning out some boxes in her basement due to some water damage. The boxes belonged to her late Aunt May.Chris comes across two items. First is a note about a young man who died after being lost in the woods in Connecticut. The second is an obituary about a wealthy man that committed suicide. Chris' aunt has never mentioned either of these, so she tries to contact the remaining family of each to find out how her aunt was tied to these people. Turns out the young man was a dear friend of her cousin. Both of these deaths occurred about twelve years ago. In the investigation, Chris finds that the victims, though they didn't know each other, were wearing each other's shoes. Since they happened in different states (though near each other) this was never put together before. Neither woman thought much about the fact that the shoes they were given were not those of their relative. Chris begins to investigate and see how their lives might have intersected. She spends lots of hours meeting people in Connecticut to see if anyone saw the young man and also investigating the businessman's life to see whether he really committed suicide. I always enjoy books in this series. Chris is a very likable, intelligent woman. Her husband has become more understanding of her investigations. He is a policeman so he is able to assist her with information in most investigations. Their young son adds a bit of sunshine to each story. The fact that Chris is an ex-nun always adds to the story. She always shares her investigations with Sister Joseph at the convent. She is always full of great insight and helps direct Chris. I look forward to reading many more books in this series. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.
Rating:
Summary: Can two murders in two states be related?
Review: Christine Bennett (an ex-nun) was cleaning out some boxes in her basement due to some water damage. The boxes belonged to her late Aunt May. Chris comes across two items. First is a note about a young man who died after being lost in the woods in Connecticut. The second is an obituary about a wealthy man that committed suicide. Chris' aunt has never mentioned either of these, so she tries to contact the remaining family of each to find out how her aunt was tied to these people. Turns out the young man was a dear friend of her cousin. Both of these deaths occurred about twelve years ago. In the investigation, Chris finds that the victims, though they didn't know each other, were wearing each other's shoes. Since they happened in different states (though near each other) this was never put together before. Neither woman thought much about the fact that the shoes they were given were not those of their relative. Chris begins to investigate and see how their lives might have intersected. She spends lots of hours meeting people in Connecticut to see if anyone saw the young man and also investigating the businessman's life to see whether he really committed suicide. I always enjoy books in this series. Chris is a very likable, intelligent woman. Her husband has become more understanding of her investigations. He is a policeman so he is able to assist her with information in most investigations. Their young son adds a bit of sunshine to each story. The fact that Chris is an ex-nun always adds to the story. She always shares her investigations with Sister Joseph at the convent. She is always full of great insight and helps direct Chris. I look forward to reading many more books in this series. I highly recommend this book and the whole series.
Rating:
Summary: Another pleasant Bennett outing, but weak entry in series
Review: Having read all 14 of the murder tales about ex-nun Chris Bennett, we are starting to see the series flag a little in zest and credibility. Chris has always specialized in solving (as an amateur) cold crimes that the police were unable to conclude, mostly through long sets of questions with innumerable witnesses and family members of the victims. Plots with just enough suspense and complications, with little or no violence, have given us plenty of pleasant hours reading about this endearing sleuth and (now) her husband Jack and son Eddie. The premise to get this book cooking was a bit far-fetched to begin with. Sifting through some old papers of her aunt's (whose house Chris inherited), Bennett discovers funeral notices and personal notes about a young adult who died essentially from being lost in the woods (in Connecticut) and another about a man who died (ruled a suicide) on his 50th birthday (hence the title) in the New York area. The two deaths occurred within days of each other some twelve years ago. With no more provocation than that, Chris starts bugging the families concerned for more details about their deaths -- and gee, guess what?? It turns out there is a connection between the two that of course was never discovered by the two police forces conducting the official investigations of the cases. We found that all a bit too much to swallow, and the numerous trips to the scenes and hours of questioning random household members and neighbors near the woods, etc., got to be pretty slow going for much of the book. Only at the end, where some brand new revelations helped turn all the clues into a solution, involving a character never introduced until near the final chapter, did things clear up. We have noticed that since Eddie has come along, much of the books include filler describing the everyday tedium of meals and naps and trips to the babysitter. Indeed, much of this book looked like filler as Chris rambled on from one whimsical idea to another in a frustrating attempt to find clues. Perhaps it was we readers who were equally frustrated by a leading lady we like who has seemed to become, well, progressively boring as her life increasingly begins to resemble ours. We note that Lee Harris has started a new series ("Murder in Hell's Kitchen") and wonder if our author may have come to the same conclusion as us -- it may be time to move on.
Rating:
Summary: Chris Bennett is MY KIND OF SLEUTH!
Review: I recently purchased 'The Happy Birthday Murder' at a book sale. Because of this fortunate happening, I now have discovered a whole series by an author I had not read before! (I love it when I do that!) Christine Bennett is a fascinating female sleuth with an interesting life. A former nun, released from her vows and now married with an (almost) four year old son, Chris has a real knack for solving murders. 'The Happy Birthday Murder' is her most recent outing, but from little references here and there in the text (and the helpful reading list printed in the back of this paperback) it is apparent that solving murders is something Christine is very good at doing. Chris resides in the home which her beloved Aunt Meg left to her upon her death. While sorting through some boxes of keepsakes in the basement, Christine finds several letters which refer to the deaths of two individuals that died within a few days of one another over twelve years ago. One was a fifty year old, successful business man who committed suicide and the other a young retarded man who dies of exposure after wandering away from the home of friends and becoming lost for several days. Nothing suspicious was ever discovered regarding either case and families of each man had resumed their lives, long before Christine left the convent. But for a female sleuth, who is good at ferreting out puzzles, there are some oddities that send her asking questions. And when she talks to the families, she unearths even more questions. This is a tightly written plot that will keep the reader guessing. Written in a breezy, informal style, it tells the story from the viewpoint of an extremely likable character, who loves her husband and son, is a good neighbor and productive member of her community --- and just happens to be good at solving murders! I'm now on a quest of my own, to find the previous books of this series that have such names as The Good Friday Murder, The April Fool's Day Murder and The Labor Day Murder. Wish me luck!
Rating:
Summary: Chris Bennett is MY KIND OF SLEUTH!
Review: I recently purchased 'The Happy Birthday Murder' at a book sale. Because of this fortunate happening, I now have discovered a whole series by an author I had not read before! (I love it when I do that!) Christine Bennett is a fascinating female sleuth with an interesting life. A former nun, released from her vows and now married with an (almost) four year old son, Chris has a real knack for solving murders. 'The Happy Birthday Murder' is her most recent outing, but from little references here and there in the text (and the helpful reading list printed in the back of this paperback) it is apparent that solving murders is something Christine is very good at doing. Chris resides in the home which her beloved Aunt Meg left to her upon her death. While sorting through some boxes of keepsakes in the basement, Christine finds several letters which refer to the deaths of two individuals that died within a few days of one another over twelve years ago. One was a fifty year old, successful business man who committed suicide and the other a young retarded man who dies of exposure after wandering away from the home of friends and becoming lost for several days. Nothing suspicious was ever discovered regarding either case and families of each man had resumed their lives, long before Christine left the convent. But for a female sleuth, who is good at ferreting out puzzles, there are some oddities that send her asking questions. And when she talks to the families, she unearths even more questions. This is a tightly written plot that will keep the reader guessing. Written in a breezy, informal style, it tells the story from the viewpoint of an extremely likable character, who loves her husband and son, is a good neighbor and productive member of her community --- and just happens to be good at solving murders! I'm now on a quest of my own, to find the previous books of this series that have such names as The Good Friday Murder, The April Fool's Day Murder and The Labor Day Murder. Wish me luck!
Rating: 
Summary: Too Far-Fetched
Review: I'm normally a big fan of this series, but I think it might finally be losing its luster. As with the last book in the series, there's absolutely no reason whatsoever why Chris should get herself involved in this mystery. It makes no sense that the victim's families would allow her to dig up something that happened 12 years ago, nor that people ranging from strangers to the police would answer her questions and give her information. It's also ludicrous to think that Jack, a cop/lawyer/husband/father, would not only support her sticking her nose into this thing, but would also advise and assist her, even when it involved taking their young son out on investigations. Too much of the book seemed to be taken up with filler -- questioning sessions that led nowhere (sometimes accomplished in numerous visits), trips that yielded no clues, the obligatory meeting with Sister Joseph to dispense suggestions out of thin air, every small detail of setting up for her son's fourth birthday party. And quite a bit of attention was given to an incident in the beginning of the book involving her son which turned out to have absolutely nothing to do with the case. Three-quarters of the book seemed to just be stuck in there to fill up the word count. If Ms. Harris is going to continue this series, perhaps the time has come to give Chris a reason for being involved in these situations -- making her a cop, detective or PI. As an ex-nun-turned-schoolteacher, each installment seems to be getting further and further out there as to why she's involved in the first place, and it makes for tedius, unrealistic reading which is no longer enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging amateur sleuth
Review: In her basement, Chris Bennett notices three boxes are wet because the window was left open. Inside the boxes are keepsakes that Chris's late aunt packed and she wants to go through them to see what to keep and what to throw out. She finds two notes from a Betty Linton and Laura Filmore thanking Chris's aunt for helping them through their respective tragedies.
Twelve years ago Laura's husband committed suicide after attending a birthday party in his honor. There was no evidence he was anything but happy and that his wife and friends thought very highly of him. Betty's retarded son wandered away from her and went into the woods where he died from exposure. Chris thinks others helped these people to their deaths especially in light of the fact that the victims were wearing each other's shoes. Laura and Betty's family never met and the deaths occurred in different states. Chris is determined to find out what really went on back then or know the reason why.
THE HAPPY BIRTHDAY MURDER, the fourteenth Chris Bennett mystery, retains the uniqueness and holiday excitement of the other thirteen books in the series. The tenacious Chris keeps moving from one clue to another, yet her integrity insures she does not come across as being nosy or a gossip. Rather the heroine appears to the audience as a champion of truth and justice tempered with mercy. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Engaging amateur sleuth
Review: In her basement, Chris Bennett notices three boxes are wet because the window was left open. Inside the boxes are keepsakes that Chris's late aunt packed and she wants to go through them to see what to keep and what to throw out. She finds two notes from a Betty Linton and Laura Filmore thanking Chris's aunt for helping them through their respective tragedies.
Twelve years ago Laura's husband committed suicide after attending a birthday party in his honor. There was no evidence he was anything but happy and that his wife and friends thought very highly of him. Betty's retarded son wandered away from her and went into the woods where he died from exposure. Chris thinks others helped these people to their deaths especially in light of the fact that the victims were wearing each other's shoes. Laura and Betty's family never met and the deaths occurred in different states. Chris is determined to find out what really went on back then or know the reason why.
THE HAPPY BIRTHDAY MURDER, the fourteenth Chris Bennett mystery, retains the uniqueness and holiday excitement of the other thirteen books in the series. The tenacious Chris keeps moving from one clue to another, yet her integrity insures she does not come across as being nosy or a gossip. Rather the heroine appears to the audience as a champion of truth and justice tempered with mercy. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Yes, I wonder, too
Review: This latest entry in the series featuring Chris Bennett is one of the best since the ex-nun solved her first murder. Although there is still a lot of time spent describing Chris's day to day activities with and without her son and husband, much more of the activity is actually important to the final solution. Chris also seems to be making the transition to the 'real' world. The character doesn't worry so much about things the rest of us would take for granted. She actually buys an airplane ticket to Florida without reminding the reader that she never used to carry more than a dollar with her at any time. There was also no last minute trip to the convent for help with the solution. Sister Joseph makes an appearance but really doesn't help to solve this one. Maybe it's because Chris is once again working to solve an old puzzle rather than a current murder case that her personality and methodology seem less abrasive and her questions somehow less intrusive.
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