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Book Review & Giveaway: Killer in the Band by Lauren Carr


I expect a lot from mystery writer Lauren Carr.  Since I have read several of her books now, I have come to look forward to each and every one of her books on my reading list.  I honestly love her writing style, her characters, her sense of humor, her real-world grounding--and her mystery development.   What did I think of her mystery, Killer in the Band?

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author or publisher.  All opinions are my own.

Quick Summary of Killer in the Band: Summer of Love & Murder

Joshua’s eldest son, Joshua “J.J.” Thornton Jr., has graduated at the top of his class from law school and returns home to spend the summer studying for the bar exam. However, to Joshua’s and Cameron’s shock and dismay, J.J. moves into the main house at Russell Ridge Farm, the largest dairy farm in the Ohio Valley, to rekindle a romance with Suellen Russell, a onetime leader of a rock group who’s twice his age. Quickly, they learn that she has been keeping a deep dark secret.

The move brings long-buried tensions between the father and son to the surface. But when a brutal killer strikes, the Lovers in Crime must set all differences aside to solve the crime before J.J. ends up in the cross hairs of a murderer.

Carr creates another entertaining book centering around people, murders, and music. I think the thing that I most like about Carr's mysteries is that she introduces readers to a variety of settings and themes.  The last book that I read from her had a political theme. This one moves toward relationships formed and reformed from an old rock and roll band. She does such a wonderful job creating her book's setting and her characters within each new theme--and does a wonderful job blending a little romance, life, mystery--and murder into each new setting.

Killer in the Band is another stand-alone story--but..I think I say this with every review. Readers familiar with Carr's books will find familiar names and characters. I think that always brings something more to a story than simply meeting those characters without their many backstories and previous adventures working in the back of the reader's mind. I love watching the characters come together (sometimes unexpectedly) and build the plot toward the resolution. Readers will find a resolution to the story--but, I think readers with a previous "relationship" with the characters of this book, from other books of the series, will find the story even more satisfying.

Killer in the Band was easy to follow--and dotted with surprises. Readers will be pulled into the narrative--and a cold case mystery or two--in the first few pages. As characters are introduced and relationships (and secrets) are uncovered--readers are met with just enough surprises and twists to keep the book interesting to the very end. The ending may even be a little unexpected too--which is always nice with a mystery!

Would I recommend Killer in the Band by Lauren Carr? Readers will find a good mystery with a lot of character interaction, some humor--and fairly realistic fiction. Lauren's mysteries are not overly complex or convoluted. She simply writes well organized, well developed mystery stories with reasonable, likeable, real-world characters who just seem to want to do the right thing in spite of some of their personal flaws or pasts. I recommend the Lovers in Crime mysteries to fans of old television mystery shows--and fans of people based mysteries without over the top violence or sexual scenes. I always look forward to the next Lauren Carr mystery on my reading list!


Praise for Lauren Carr’s Mysteries:

“Lauren Carr could give Agatha Christie a run for her money!”
​- Charlene Mabie-Gamble, Literary R&R

“As always, Lauren Carr brings an action-packed story that is almost impossible to put down. Her mystery plots have so many twists and turns that I didn’t know if I was coming or going. And the action just didn’t stop from the very beginning till the very end.” - Melina Mason, Melina’s Book Reviews

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Meet the Author:



Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups, and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV.

Connect with Lauren: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook


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1 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for the fabulous review of KILLER IN THE BAND. I am so glad that you enjoyed the latest Lovers in Crime Mystery. here's wishing each of your followers luck in the giveaway to win a free Kindle.

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