This Killer Isn’t Fooling Around
Whenever I start a long running series, it can feel like it will be forever before I get caught up. I was a bit surprised when I realized that, with April Fool Dead, I’ve hit the half way point of Carolyn Hart’s Death on Demand series. And it’s another enjoyable entry.
If you aren’t familiar with this series, it features Annie Lawrence Darling, the owner of a mystery bookshop on the island of Broward’s Rock, South Carolina. Naturally, this means she keeps getting involved with lots of mysteries herself, with her husband, Max, helping her solve them.
This is rarely a series with massive changes in the character’s lives. However, there was one in the previous book in the series, Sugar Plum Dead. I’d say this book gives us minor spoilers for that one as a result. But if you wind up picking up this book first, it won’t be the end of the world.
As this book opens, Annie is looking forward to hosting a book signing for the island’s resident mystery writer, Emma Clyde, on April first. She’s even come up with the perfect promotion for it, leaving fliers all over the island with the clues to identify famous mystery books for a prize at the signing. However, someone has mimicked her fliers, but instead of talking about fictional murder these new fliers are accusing residents of the island of real crimes. Just as Annie thinks her job restoring her name is over, someone dies. Is this murder connected to the fliers?
With the number of mysteries I read, I always enjoy it when I find a unique plot. That was the case here. While the time line to make the plot work seems extremely tight, I’ll let that go for the creativity of it. And there are quite a few threads that come together in the end, which is always wonderful. I didn’t have any idea where things were going until near the end, and I also appreciated that this book didn’t include a couple of the tropes the series usually does. While I won’t mind if they come back, it was nice to not see them here.
The characters are on the thin side in this series, and that’s the case again here. I’m not saying we don’t like them or care for them; I wouldn’t keep reading the series if that were the case. They are fun to spend time around, and that’s the most important thing here. They also did help me pull into the story, and I smiled when the supporting players in the series made their cameos.
And the book contains plenty of laughs as always. Many of those are provided by Annie’s mother-in-law, who is a hoot.
The series is also known for its references to other mysteries, both classic and contemporary. While we get some of that here, it is not as over the top as it used to be. I prefer the lesser references, and we are finally to the point that I am recognizing some of the contemporary references made to books I enjoyed. We also have much less foul language than we did in earlier books, which is appreciated.
Also of note, this book originally came out in 2002, so a few things are dated, especially the technology.
I read this book via audiobook. Kate Reading is once again the narrator, and I love how she brings the characters to life. She really adds to the humor of some of them without being over the top or getting in the way of the story itself.
You’d be foolish to skip this book. Anyone looking for a fun mystery will be glad they picked up April Fool Dead.
Enjoy the rest of the Death on Demand books.
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