Bell, Book, and Scandal (Jane Jeffry Mysteries)

Rating:
Summary: Pleasantly Entertained
Review: While this book wasn't one of Ms. Churchill's stronger books,(The mystery aspect was a little late in coming and a bit underdeveloped.),I quite enjoyed the read. I could see myself in this story. I've been to my share of workshops that had a lot of useful info, but went on too long. I also went shopping and in the end left early. While the plot lacked the usual tension, I loved that it put forth some useful info for writers who want to get published.
All in all, I thought that this was a pleasant, easy read that didn't get me all tied up in knots. I read it, then passed it on to my mom and my two sisters who enjoyed it as well. If you want nail biting suspense then this probably isn't the book for you. If you want an entertaining evening without having to work for it, then you just might enjoy this book.

Rating:
Summary: Pass on this one!
Review: After reading the other reviews, I took out the book from the library and I'm glad I did. Even in large print it was a quick read at 220 pages. It wasn't up to the quality of Jill Churchill's other titles in this series or the Grace and Favor books.
The dialog was stilted, the characters were one-dimentional and the writing style so different from Churchill's usual, that it was hard to believe she had actually written it. I agree with a previous reviewer that Jane is very out-of-character when she prepares for a night with Mel. Their relationship was very realistic for older adults. Now Mel seems like an old shoe--use him when there is nothing better and then he disappears. Actually, both Jane and Shelley were like two strangers in this book. I enjoyed their easy friendship and it was lacking.
Most of all, the shoddy research bothered me. Anyone who has read (or seen) Sherlock Holmes stories knows that his rag-tag group of street urchins was called the Baker Street Irregulars. Churchill mistakenly calls them the Bow Street Runners, not once but twice. All it would have taken was a quick trip to Google to discover that they were the early form of the London CID and were adult constables, not children. Wait for the next book!

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I agree, there turns out to be no real crime, but you don't know that throughout the book until the end. This was an easy read; I finished it in an afternoon. Granted, there was a lot of information about the publishing business, but it was mostly quite interesting. Jane and Shelley are their usual selves. I heard Jill Churchill loud and clear; no question she wrote this one. It just doesn't have a murder case for Mel to work on and Jane to solve. Next time, perhaps.

Rating:
Summary: Stick to one series, Ms. Churchill!
Review: I have read all of Jill Churchill's Jane Jeffry mysteries except the first two; each time a new book of hers is released, I always look forward to it. However, the last couple haven't been up to Ms. Churchill's usual standards - after all, this woman HAS been compared to Agatha Christie (my personal favorite) - and with "Bell Book and Scandal" Ms. Churchill has hit a new high in lows.

A mystery where no murder happens? Where the characters are one- and two-dimensional? Where it seems like on every other page Jane and Shelley are going shopping? Was this book even written by Jill Churchill? It doesn't seem like it - there is no vitality, no real humor (as in the past), and surely no real story. Like another reviewer stated, it seemed more about Jill Churchill airing her views (both good and bad) on the publishing industry.

Jane and Shelley decide to attend a mystery writers conference in their hometown; Jane has finally finished her novel and is aching for ideas on how to both improve and submit it. Immediately they make a friend in one of Jane's favorite writers, and everything goes smoothly ...

But the very morning of the conference a longtime editor goes to the hospital sick - possible food poisoning? Soon after, an annoying critic is found by his van in the parking lot after having been hit on the head, alive but unconscious, with a page torn from a paperback clutched in his hand - possible murder attempt? And who IS Miss Mystery, the sneaky gossip who hears all and tells all - gossip-wise - on her popular but acidic website?

Most importantly, WHO CARES?!!? Never have Jane and Shelley been more dull; indeed, the book seems to have nowhere to go, so merely fills pages with their shopping or eating. A first-time mystery writer would never have gotten this manuscript out of the slush pile - typos, wooden characters, unconvincing dialogue -- wow, these are NEVER things I thought I would find myself saying about a Jill Churchill book! And I think it's because she had gotten the "Lydia Adamson Syndrome" ...

The same thing is happening here that happened with the author who writes under "Lydia Adamson" -- you develop one series, make it strong as heck, then start another, separate series ... and the first one starts going sour. I HOPE that doesn't continue happening with Jill Churchill, but this book is so bad it feels ghost-written. A real shame. PLEASE, Ms. Churchill, stick to one series and do it right - don't rush a novel off to meet a deadline!

And a full-length mystery novel with no murder occurring in it really cheats the reader. I read that, years ago, in a book on writing mysteries. VERY true. And reading this one - particularly if you've read other, older books in the series - will make you feel cheated, indeed.

Rating:
Summary: BORING!
Review: I have read every one of the Jane Jeffrey books and loved every one of them so when I realized that there was a new one that I hadn't yet read, I was on it! I struggled to get through this one but kept going because I have never given up on a book. This was dull, dull, more dull. Sure hope her next one is better.

Rating:
Summary: this can't be jill churchill
Review: I too have enjoyed Churchill's other Jane Jeffry mysteries but this one was awful. The plot was dull, the characters unbelievable and the incessant trips to shop, buy books, and eat were boring. The whole Felicity thing, becoming best friends within a few hours of meeting, was ridiculous. Worrying about jeopardizing her friendship with Shelley over a very minor disagreement was juvenile. In fact, the whole book was juvenile. I couldn't wait to finish it only because I was angry with myself for continuing after the halfway point!

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: In the past Jill Churchill has written humorous, cozy mysteries, starring Jane Jeffry and Shelley Nowack. Shelley accompanies Jane to a mystery writers conference, where potentially interesting characters are introduced. There is a poisoning, a head bashing, and a mysterious person who writes gossip. Jane, with the help of her lover Detective Mel, tries to solve the various "mysteries." This just doesn't work. When 100 pages were read and there still hadn't been a murder, and never was one, I should have put the book aside. I'm glad I got this one from the public library rather than purchasing it. Pass it by and hope for a better Jane Jeffry mystery next time.

Rating:
Summary: a light read although not vintage Churchill
Review: Strangely enough I wasn't too terribly disappointed with Jill Churchill's "Bell, Book, and Scandal." Perhaps it's because after having suffered through "Mulch Ado About Nothing" and "The House of the Seven Mabels" my expectations were not too high. True enough, while this latest Jill Jeffry mystery novel is nothing compared to the earlier ones ("Grime and Punishment," "Farewell to Yarns," etc), it was not a terrible read either (and it was definitely on a higher level than anything on TV right now). Light and breezy, "Bell, Book and Scandal" kept me happily entertained until the last page. However, enjoyable though the book was, there were certain points about the book that did irk. For example, I really did think that the first few chapters that dealt with Jane's buying a new car was totally out of place in this novel. It really didn't contribute to the plot at all. And then there was the fact that as a mystery novel it really wasn't much of one -- there was no suspense or tension. And unlike Ms Churchill's earlier works where she more or less invites the reader to sleuth along with Jane and Shelley, the clues and suspects were in short supply so that any sleuthing was truly impossible. (It was also easy to figure out where one particular subplot was heading.) On the other hand, I did enjoy the bits about what goes on at a mystery conference, and what to expect if you're trying to get your book published. All in all, an entertaining 3 star read.

Rating:
Summary: I have to agree!
Review: Strangely enough I wasn't too terribly disappointed with Jill Churchill's "Bell, Book, and Scandal." Perhaps it's because after having suffered through "Mulch Ado About Nothing" and "The House of the Seven Mabels" my expectations were not too high. True enough, while this latest Jill Jeffry mystery novel is nothing compared to the earlier ones ("Grime and Punishment," "Farewell to Yarns," etc), it was not a terrible read either (and it was definitely on a higher level than anything on TV right now). Light and breezy, "Bell, Book and Scandal" kept me happily entertained until the last page. However, enjoyable though the book was, there were certain points about the book that did irk. For example, I really did think that the first few chapters that dealt with Jane's buying a new car was totally out of place in this novel. It really didn't contribute to the plot at all. And then there was the fact that as a mystery novel it really wasn't much of one -- there was no suspense or tension. And unlike Ms Churchill's earlier works where she more or less invites the reader to sleuth along with Jane and Shelley, the clues and suspects were in short supply so that any sleuthing was truly impossible. (It was also easy to figure out where one particular subplot was heading.) On the other hand, I did enjoy the bits about what goes on at a mystery conference, and what to expect if you're trying to get your book published. All in all, an entertaining 3 star read.

Rating:
Summary: Spending time with Jane and Shelley
Review: Unlike most of the other reviewers of this book who gave it a low rating, I liked it very much and give it a high rating. I think it is refreshing to find a mystery book that does not involve a murder. I enjoyed spending time with Jane and Shelley in what I consider more normal circumstances. How many of us encounter a murder every few months? This book was about two women friends attending a mystery writers conference, the characters they meet, and two non-murder mysterious events. It did not have me on the edge of my seat or give me nightmares - thank goodness. It was an enjoyable, light read - no vulgar language, no vicious murder, no creepiness. I felt like I was reading about the activities of my own kind of friends - nice people who get involved, are curious, and like most women in this world, constantly change their minds! Jill Churchill took a chance writing this non-murder mystery and according to the majority of reviews, folks were not pleased. However, this happy reader enjoyed the breezy writing and the two every-day type of mysteries - and spending time with Jane and Shelley.