Death on Lily Pond Lane

How is everyone today?  I hope all of you have had a delightful weekend. The Cherished Quilt by Amy Clipston comes out next week on Tuesday, November 29.  It is the third book in An Amish Heirloom series.  The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg will be out on the same day!  Fannie Flagg's books are always delightful (and very entertaining).  

Death on Lily Pond Lane by Carrie Doyle is the second book in A Hamptons Murder Mystery series.  Antonia Bingham owns the Windmill Inn in East Hampton where she is also the head chef.  During the off season, she is the caretaker to two properties (while their owners are at their primary residences).  Antonia is checking on the Mastersons’ property.  Warner Caruthers, a friend of Luke Masterson, had been staying in the guest quarters, but he was supposed to have departed the previous day.  Antonia searches the house for Warner and finds him in Eleanor’s bathroom (one of the Mastersons’ daughters).  He is dead in the bathtub.  Antonia calls the police and then quickly hides something from the bathroom.  Antonia’s nosiness and dislike of police officers leads her to investigate his death.  It turns out that Warner was doing a documentary that portrayed the wealthy town residents in a bad light (and they do not appreciate Antonia’s sticking her nose into their business).  Can Antonia find the culprit before the killer finds her?

Death on Lily Pond Lane was a snooze fest.  I found the book to be boring.  The book only has 308 pages, but it felt twice the length.  The mystery was basic (predictable).  I was able to identify the killer very early in the book (before I was quarter of the way through the story).  This is the second book in A Hamptons Murder Mystery series, but Death on Lily Pond Lane can be read alone.  The case from the first book (Death on Windmill Way) is mentioned more than once during the course of the novel as well as why Antonia relocated to East Hampton.   Actually, many things are replicated throughout the book.  The reader is subjected to the details of Antonia’s failed marriage many times (she is divorced from a cop that abused her and caused the death of her father).  I give Death on Lily Pond Lane 2 out of 5 stars.  I just felt it was too simple.  It was like the author used a cozy mystery checklist when writing.  I also did not like the main character very much or her flighty best friend.  Antonia puts herself down especially about her appearance and it is off-putting.  I wanted to like Death on Lily Pond Lane, but it was just not the right book for me.  Death on Windmill Way is the first book in A Hamptons Murder Mystery series.

May all of you have a lovely, relaxing evening (we all need it before the Thanksgiving bustle starts).  I am reading Shades of Wrath by Karen Rose Smith.  I will see you tomorrow when I return to review another novel.  Take care, stay warm, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader