The Pact (Red Dress Ink)

Rating:
Summary: Average Chick Lit Mystery
Review: *Spoiler in this review* This book is about a group of 5 girlfriends who gather for the wedding of one of their own (Emma). The bridegroom isn't particularly liked by the friends so, when he turns up dead, the mystery is.. which girlfriend did him in? The "Pact" is a vow these 5 friends made years ago to 'do away with' any boyfriends they didn't approve of. This was a very light mystery.. very light. The characters were not involving, the narrator (Rachel) was the most interesting of the 5, and even she didn't have an interesting character. I just wasn't moved by this book at all.. but was happy it was a chick-lit book that involved more than just romance, breaks-ups, etc. There was actually very little romance in this book - it was mainly a light whodunit. The end wasn't particularly satifying either. It actually would have made for a better book if someone in the pact had done the murder. This is marginally recommended - there is nothing really wrong with the book, but nothing spectacular about it either. Very forgettable.

Rating:
Summary: Witty, thoroughly enjoyable, must read!
Review: Call me young at heart, but I couldn't put this book down! Ms. Sturman cleverly woven tale takes the reader through many an unexpected turn. Quick dialogue and intriguing characters, made scene after scene, wittier than the last.

It is hard to believe this is a first novel--congrats, Ms. Sturman. You are off to a brilliant start!


Rating:
Summary: Fun addition to chicklit genre
Review: Chick lit mystery, wasn't sure I'd be a fan. But I love books about groups of friends, and I have to admit, the pool on the front cover intrigued me. While I liked the mystery that added a different element to this book, it was the cast of characters that kept me going. Loved the women, loved the location, and loved the premise. I think I'll be trying more chick lit mysteries and hope they're all as much fun as this one. Keep 'em coming!

Rating:
Summary: I COULDN'T PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!
Review: From the fabulous opening to the last page, the mystery kept me guessing, and the characters kept me in stitches. Rachel Benjamin is the best new heroine I've read in ages. I can't wait for the next one to come out, but in the meantime I'll be recommending this to all my friends.


Rating:
Summary: Rachel Benjamin super sleuth
Review: I really like that Red Dress Ink is branching out a little and a chick lit mystery is such a good idea! The Pact is fun and fast paced, all the action takes place from Friday night - Sunday and all the characters are easy to follow. I'll be looking for the next "Rachel Benjamin mystery"

Took a star away because some of the fuzzy details (like ages and dates and the mom's stuffiness at 53 years old?) were distracting.

Rating:
Summary: Do yourself a favor and sit down with The Pact today!
Review: I'm a *very* picky reader and its hard for me to find new authors I like (some of my favs are Meg Cabot, Janet Evonovitch, Dan Brown, John Grisham, and Agatha Christie, natch) but I can honestly say I haven't enjoyed a book as much as I enjoyed The Pact in a long time. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. Why? The premise is great, the setting is original, and the mystery is really good. I've read so many I can usually see how things end, but this ending was both surprising and logical, the double whammy. Above all, though, I really loved Rachel Benjamin. She isn't dumb like some chick lit heroines, but she has all their charm, and twice their wit. The Pact is LOL funny in some parts, gasp out loud clever in others, and all around sPACTacular.

Rating:
Summary: Can't put it down ! Such fun to read !
Review: Jennifer Sturman captures the reader right off the bat with her flowing prose and easy-to-recognize characters. So many mysteries fall flat in the end - but this one keeps getting better and delivers a satisfying ending. I loved it and can't wait for her next book !

Rating:
Summary: The mysterious side of Red Dress Ink
Review: This is a fun new mystery from Red Dress Ink! Rachel Benjamin isn't too thrilled about her friend's choice of groom, but she's going to be in the wedding anyway. But how happy can she be when he ends up dead the night before the wedding? In this mystery/romance, Jennifer Sturman proves that she is the modern girl's answer to Agatha Christie.

Rachel attempts to investigate the crime, mostly for her own purposes, but also because she cares for her friend, too. The result is a funny and ultimately satisfying mystery! This is a nice change of pace from the usual RDI novel. You'll like it!

Rating:
Summary: I Realized Who Done It... and Kept Being Entertained.....
Review: This isn't high literature - it is my first experience with this "chick lit" genre.... a Christmas gift that I opened and thought, "Why on Earth would someone buy me this?"

First time novelist Jennifer Sturman does a very capable job of bringing the reader alongside Rachel Benjamin with a blend of humor, intelligence, and actually some interesting facts about her work as a VP in the world of Wall Street Finance.

Rachel's side kicks are each likeable for their own reasons... and while it is awefully "convenient" that they are so diverse, I also found myself wondering what would be next for each of them.

I brought along other books while I was on vacation - yet this is the one I finished first. I think that says quite a bit right there. I wouldn't say it will stay in my mind forever, nor will it have a life-changing impact upon me - but I do appreciate it for keeping me company as I laughed and queried right along with Rachel and her friends.

Rating:
Summary: Not great, not awful (2.5 stars would be good here)
Review: Well, I've read worse, that's for sure. But this book never grabbed me. I found the characters frankly unappealing and entirely one-dimensional. The writing seemed to be intentionally flowery -- based on the theory that the more syllables a word has, the better, and that using the same verb more than once is a crime. The pacing was tedious and self-absorbed. We get to read Rachel's thought processes again and again, with little new development. The immense amount of Harvard detail feels like a memoir. The male characters exist only in relation to their potential as dates/sex objects -- an unappealing writing trick whether it's done with women (as usual) or men. The huge coincidence regarding Rachel's work is too implausible to ignore. The who-done-it kept me guessing, so I'll give the book some credit there. However, in general, the whole book felt like a condescension to the reader. If you are a mystery fan like me, you might notice that the narrator is careful to point out not once but *twice* that she only reads popular mystery novels because there's no other choice at the airport bookshop.