"Fun" and "Pleasant" Murder Stories?

Lately I've been spending too much time indulging in the intriguing worlds of dark secrets and insanity, so this time I'll try to lighten up. =) I'll start with my reading list. Here are some easy/fun/lighthearted "chick lit" books I'm planning to read:


How to Murder a Millionaire
by Nancy Martin

I know, I know: I'm supposed to be "cheering up," so what the heck am I doing with a book about murder? (and a "how to" murder story at that!) Well, apparently, this novel is supposed to be a fun kind of mystery novel. I don't know how that works out, for there sure is nothing fun about murder or death. But hey, I'll read it then report back to you, okay? Okay.


The Undomestic Goddess
by Sophie Kinsella (author of the bestselling "Shopaholic" novels)

Synopsis and Review from Publishers Weekly:

Samantha Sweeting, the 29-year-old heroine of Kinsella's latest confection (after Shopaholic Sister), is on the verge of partnership at the prestigious London law firm Carter Spink—the Holy Grail of her entire workaholic life. But when she finds she has made a terrible, costly mistake just before the partnership decision, she's terrified of being fired. In a fog, she stumbles out of the building and onto the nearest train, which drops her in the countryside, where she wanders to a stately home. The nouveau riche lady of the house mistakes her for the new housekeeper—and Samantha is too astonished to correct her.

Numb and unable to face returning to London, Samantha tries to master the finer points of laundry, cooking and cleaning. She discovers that the slow life, her pompous but good-hearted employers and the attentions of the handsome gardener, Nathaniel, suit her just fine. But her past is hard to escape, and when she discovers a terrible secret about her firm—and when the media learns that the former legal star is scrubbing toilets for a living—her life becomes more complicated than ever. If readers can swallow the implausible scenario, then Kinsella's genuine charm and sweet wit may continue to win her fans.

(I don't know about you, but this sounds FUN to me! =) ~Marie)


Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder
by Joanne Fluke

Another murder story. But hey, chocolate chip cookies are involved, so how sweet is that?!

"Pleasant and easy to take," say some reviewers. Again, I have no clue how a murderous plot could be described as "pleasant" or "easy to take," but then again, maybe they were simply referring to the chocolate cookies.


Here's a brief synopsis, from the book jacket:

Hannah Swenson already has her hands full trying to dodge her mother’s attempts to marry her off while running The Cookie Jar, Lake Eden, Minnesota’s most popular bakery. But once Ron LaSalle, the beloved delivery man from the Cozy Cow Dairy, is found murdered behind her bakery with Hannah’s famous Chocolate Chip Crunchies scattered around him, her life just can’t get any worse. Determined not to let her cookies get a bad reputation, she sets out to track down the killer.

Who would have the sheer audacity—and the motive—to kill the most punctual delivery man Hannah ever had? The more Hannah snoops, the more suspects turn up. This is one murder that’s starting to leave a very bad taste in Hannah’s mouth. And if she doesn’t watch her back, Hannah’s sweet life may get burned to a crisp.

Filled with a healthy sprinkling of humor and a delightful assortment of nuts, CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE MURDER serves up a great new mystery series and introduces a delicious, down-home sleuth that mystery readers will surely savor for years to come.



Do these books interest you? Then you should check out the Women's Reading Group on Yahoo Groups.