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Old Loves Die Hard

A Mac Faraday Mystery by Lauren Carr

Old Loves Die Hard by Lauren Carr

Review: Mac Faraday's ex-wife Christine makes another attempt at reconciliation — he doesn't hurt that he's inherited millions since their divorce — by showing up unannounced at his home. But her visit takes a tragic turn when her current, albeit estranged, boyfriend, Assistant US Attorney Stephen Maguire, shows up in Old Loves Die Hard, the second mystery in this series by Lauren Carr.

Mac delivers Christine that evening to Spencer Inn — Mac took ownership of the luxury lodge when his birth mother, bestselling mystery writer Robin Spencer, died, leaving her entire estate to him — where she spies Maguire having dinner with other guests. Believing that he followed her, Christine has it out with him. "If you know what's good for you, then I suggest you leave — now," she says, adding ominously, "I'm going to kill you." Mac apologizes to Maguire, who he knows from his earlier days as a homicide cop, and escorts Christine to his private suite at the inn. Mac leaves for his own home, returning the next morning to find Maguire dead in his suite. "Christine, what have you done?" he thinks as he examines the crime scene, assuming, not unreasonably, that his ex-wife is guilty of murder. But he has to revise that thought when he finds her body in the bathroom, also quite dead.

The overall murder mystery plot of Old Loves Die Hard is well developed, offering an interesting twist or two along the way. Mac's old cases as a cop provide a solid foundation for motive, leading to a surprising conclusion as to "whodunit". But the book opens with far too much "telling" about Mac and his new life and wealth, and not enough "showing", that is, allowing the reader to become acquainted with, and comfortable with, the character more gradually within the context of the story itself. The setup to the murder is handled somewhat clumsily; Mac is naturally upset with the situation he finds himself in, but is also acting unprofessionally and being a bit of an oaf. He is, of course, a suspect in the murder investigation — the body of his ex-wife was found in his private suite in his inn — and as a retired homicide detective, he knows the process … and he knows better. Fortunately, he is soon cleared and gets settled into character, one that readers of the first book will now recognize and one that new readers will take to, with what follows more than compensating for this rocky, uneven start.

Acknowledgment: The author provided a copy of Old Loves Die Hard for this review.

Review Copyright © 2011 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved

Selected reviews of other mysteries by this author …

Mystery Book Review: It's Murder, My Son by Lauren CarrIt's Murder, My Son
CreateSpace (Trade Paperback), June 2010
ISBN-13: 9781452819433; ISBN-10: 1452819432

Mystery Book Review: Shades of Murder by Lauren CarrShades of Murder
Acorn Book Services (Trade Paperback), May 2012
ISBN-13: 9780985726706; ISBN-10: 0985726709

Location(s) referenced in Old Loves Die Hard: Maryland

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Old Loves Die Hard by Lauren Carr

Old Loves Die Hard by A Mac Faraday Mystery

Publisher: CreateSpace
Format: Trade Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1-4609-3513-2
Publication Date:
List Price: $14.99

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