Mansions of the Dead: A Mystery

Rating:
Summary: My first book by Sarah Stewart Taylor, but
Review: not my last. I think people that enjoy history in a story will really like SST's books. I still have to read the first in this series, but I have a feeling I will like it. Sweeney has a lot of developing to do as a person and I look forward to seeing that happen in future books. The mystery was great, in fact you get 3 mysteries in this book, all nicely tied together.

Rating:
Summary: Terrific story, terrific writer
Review: Once again, Sarah Stewart Taylor sucked me into a mystery, and I am not a mystery reader. But I love the way she writes, I find it fascinating that the story revolves around mourning jewelry, and the story just sweeps me away--so much so that I ditched an entire day of a planned vacation just to lay on a blanket in the park and finish the book. I couldn't help myself. I loved her last book, too, but this one even more so. The writing is so luxurious that before I knew it two hours had passed and I was completely captured by the story. It was, for me, the perfect way to spend a vacation. Now I can't wait for the third book in this series!

Rating:
Summary: Sweeney puts the "fun" in dysfunctional
Review: Sarah Stewart Taylor has done it again. Her heroine, Sweeney St. George is intelligent, interesting, funny, and fun. It's great to tag along while she goes through the ins and outs of solving the current mystery. And actually, there are several mysteries tied to the plot of this fascinating adventure. Sweeney's knowledge of funeral traditions and memento mori serves her well in these endeavors. C'mon Sarah, when's the next book coming out. I have to know the resolution of the cliffhanger you left us with at the end of Mansions of the Dead!

Rating:
Summary: What the stones reveal.
Review: Sarah Stewart Taylor's Mansions of the Dead, is a very well crafted, insightful novel reflecting the long lost comfort and fascination that earlier generations had with death and the hereafter. She reveals her skill and knowledge of the "death arts" while unwinding a modern day tale of murder and secrets kept by those whose money and social privilege gave occasion to lies, mystery and misfortune. She is skillful at drawing all the essential elements together, revealing the stark reality of murder, commited for reasons not unlike many before and since; power and position. I look forward to her next venture!

Rating:
Summary: exciting mystery
Review: The Putnam family didn't come over on the Mayflower but they did come over on the very next ship. They prospered, gained wealth, political power and prestige but the present generation has known its share of tragedy. Andrew and Kitty's son got killed in a car crash and the driver was one of the other children but the siblings kept silent about who was driving and closed ranks against the police until they finally gave up and stopped looking to get a confession.

The youngest son Brad is found in his apartment dead, his hands tied to the bed, a plastic bag over his head and some Victorian jewelry scattered all over his nearly naked body. Curious about the jewelry the police contact Sweeney St. George, a professional in graveyard art and mourning jewelry. She had Brad in one of classes and was very fond and feels the need to aid the police in their quest for the killer. She makes a concerted effort to find out who the killer is by getting to know the all the members of the Putnam family and doing background research on the family. Her investigation leads her into the middle of a powerful family wrecked by family secrets and a member of that family who would kill to make sure the truth is never revealed.

From the very beginning readers have a feeling that one Putnam killed another but nobody will be able to figure out who it is until the author chooses to reveal the murderer's identity. Sarah Stewart Taylor has written an exciting mystery featuring characters that are so easy to like readers hope they feel that their hunch that a Putnam is a killer is wrong. The heroine studies death rituals without being obsessed about her own mortality. She is spunky, sweet and sparkling and readers will want to read more books featuring this dynamic character.

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: Murder of the Rich and Famous
Review: When Sweeney St. George is asked by the police to help identify some mourning jewelry found on a murder victim's body, she never dreams that the victim was also one of her students. Brad Putnam was quite interested in burial customs and Sweeney really liked him. Naturally, she is quite upset when she learns of his death.

Brad was a member of a powerful and well known family in Boston whose influence goes back generations. As Sweeney helps the police, she finds herself drawn into other aspects of the case. Why was the jewelry left on Brad? What was he so upset about the night he was killed? And does it have anything to do with his research for her class?

I enjoyed Ms. Taylor's debut mystery and was looking forward to this book as well. I wasn't disappointed. Sweeney is as interesting a character as before, and I find her knowledge of burial and mourning customs fascinating. The plot is well paced with clues and red herrings scattered throughout. Since this book focuses on the past of only one family, I had an easier time keeping the historic characters straight this time around. I must admit to being a little confused as to why one sub-plot was in the story, but it was an interesting balance to one of the characters. The book is slightly darker then much of what I read, but I really enjoyed it for a change of pace. The writing style in engaging, inviting the reader in and making it hard to put the book down.

With a fresh writing style, interesting main character with a unique interest, and intricate plot, this is a series not to be missed.

Rating:
Summary: Murder of the Rich and Famous
Review: When Sweeney St. George is asked by the police to help identify some mourning jewelry found on a murder victim's body, she never dreams that the victim was also one of her students. Brad Putnam was quite interested in burial customs and Sweeney really liked him. Naturally, she is quite upset when she learns of his death.

Brad was a member of a powerful and well known family in Boston whose influence goes back generations. As Sweeney helps the police, she finds herself drawn into other aspects of the case. Why was the jewelry left on Brad? What was he so upset about the night he was killed? And does it have anything to do with his research for her class?

I enjoyed Ms. Taylor's debut mystery and was looking forward to this book as well. I wasn't disappointed. Sweeney is as interesting a character as before, and I find her knowledge of burial and mourning customs fascinating. The plot is well paced with clues and red herrings scattered throughout. Since this book focuses on the past of only one family, I had an easier time keeping the historic characters straight this time around. I must admit to being a little confused as to why one sub-plot was in the story, but it was an interesting balance to one of the characters. The book is slightly darker then much of what I read, but I really enjoyed it for a change of pace. The writing style in engaging, inviting the reader in and making it hard to put the book down.

With a fresh writing style, interesting main character with a unique interest, and intricate plot, this is a series not to be missed.