Book Description:
When a celebrated ACTOR IS FOUND MURDERED IN HIS DRESSING ROOM, all signs point to Drew’s old flame. But behind the curtains nothing is what it seems and this quickly becomes his MOST puzzling case YET.
Just as Drew Farthering thinks his life has calmed down some, Fleur Landis, a former girlfriend, reappears, in dire need of his help. She’s married now, no longer an actress–but the lead actor in her former troupe’s production of The Mikado has been murdered, and Fleur is the police’s number one suspect.
Drew would rather focus on his fiancée, Madeline Parker, and their upcoming wedding, but he can’t leave Fleur and her family in the lurch–even if she did break his heart once. As Drew, Nick, and Madeline begin investigating, they discover more going on behind the scenes of the theater troupe than could ever have been imagined. It seems nearly everyone had a motive, and alibis are few and far between.
Both the murder case and the presence of the beautiful, exotic Fleur put a heavy strain on Drew and Madeline’s relationship. Will their still-young romance survive the pressure?
Rave Reviews:
“Deering gives us an enchanting mystery set around an England country estate in the 1930s… Rules of Murder is a wonderful, inspirational novel for those of you who love a good murder mystery.”–Fresh Fiction
“Old and new fans will enjoy the Agatha Christie-esque feel of the story, which is brimming with intrigue, romantic angst and mystery.”—RT Book Reviews
My Thoughts:
I’ve had a very hard time writing the review for this book, because this was not one of my favorite books. I can’t help, but wonder if my opinion is colored by the fact I haven’t read the first two books in this series. In reading about Julianna Deering books I found she has a very strong following, so I can’t help but wonder if my opinion is all my own. Either way, I’m committed to giving you my honest opinion, so here you go.
I found the beginning of this book to move very slowly. It took well over 1/4 of the book, before I felt well acquainted with the many characters introduced in the first half of the book. There were a lot of characters introduced in a short amount of time and I didn’t connect with them. As a reader, I need to feel invested and I didn’t.
I pushed myself to finish this book, but to be honest, I had a hard time picking the book up day after day. I really wanted to put in on my shelf and walk away. Once I reached the end, I was glad I finished the book. The ending surprised me! I was not expecting it, so that made it worth it.
If were to rate this book, based on 5 stars. I would give it 2.5 stars. The writing was well done, but something about the characters and story line just didn’t sit well with me.
I was provided with a free copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
About the Author:
JULIANNA DEERING has always been an avid reader and a lover of storytelling, whether on the page, the screen or the stage. This, along with her keen interest in history and her Christian faith, shows in her tales of love, forgiveness and triumph over adversity. A fifth-generation Texan, she makes her home north of Dallas with three spoiled cats and, when not writing, spends her free time quilting, cross stitching and watching NHL hockey. Her new series of Drew Farthering mysteries set in 1930s England debuted with Rules of Murder (Bethany House, 2013) and will be followed by Death by the Book and Murder at the Mikado (Bethany House, 2014). She is represented by Wendy Lawton of the Books & Such Literary Agency (www.booksandsuch.biz).
Facebook: Author Julianna Deering
Twitter: @deannajuldodson
suburbanthoughts 
Always love an honest review :). I wonder if it did come from not knowing the characters as well?! I did grow to love them through each book. Hopefully you’ll get a chance to read the first one! 🙂
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Thanks, Jamie. I appreciate your comments. Writing a review like this is so difficult, because as a writer, I know how much work goes into a book. I hope you have a great week!
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