He Was in the Garage Again Playing With the Glue Gun
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Laughing out loud, equally I did when reading this cozy mystery, is related mainly to Anastasia's acerbic wit. Every bit a reader, I ever welcome humor. All the same, humor is too a great way to become across some rath
Much has been made about the humor in Lois Winston'south first Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries Series, Assault With a Mortiferous Glue Gun, and rightfully and then. Anastasia is a Jersey daughter often compared to the every bit funny Stephanie Plum in Janet Evanovich's series. Jersey is where the comparing ends.Laughing out loud, equally I did when reading this cozy mystery, is related mainly to Anastasia'southward acerbic wit. As a reader, I always welcome sense of humor. However, humor is also a great way to get across some rather serious ideas. I'g pleased to say that this book has ideas every bit well as laughs.
Anastasia is far more mature, not "feisty" and "spunky" like Stephanie Plum, and certainly non a superhero who overcomes all adversity. Anastasia is a existent woman, an ordinary woman, who manages to discover internal resources to overcome some very serious challenges.
She is a middle-anile woman working as a crafts editor for a women'southward magazine. She finds herself in the heart of an epic sh*t storm when her husband dies suddenly. She learns that he has emptied out the family bank account to feed his gambling addiction, and that he is in debt to the mob. A mobster is calling and demanding money. And so Anastasia finds the body of her colleague dead and glued to her office desk at work.
Things go downhill from at that place. The police force show signs of thinking she's guilty of murder. Then her business firm is cleaved into – three times! On top of that, she'southward living with her obnoxious and very fervent Communist mother-in-law who demands special treatment for herself and her dog. Anastasia's egotistic and very selfish mother (and her cat) shows up and starts taking upward infinite. And in that location's that parrot mouthing off, quoting Shakespeare no less. In that location's non enough money to pay the electric bill or feed Anastasia's two teenage boys.
Reading this as it unfolds (and laughing, as well) led me to recollect about how people handle a major life crisis…..or 2 or three or four every bit in the case of Anastasia. Her wit and her caustic asides are fundamentally acting every bit a coping mechanism. She wants to laugh so she won't fall apart. Her asides suggest that her marriage wasn't all that great, and that she was just hanging in at that place. The ii mothers are ongoing problems too. The commie female parent-in-constabulary Lucille struck me every bit someone on the edge of dementia who is unable to cope with her son'south death, much less the awareness that he was a thoroughly reprehensible grapheme responsible for 3 people's deaths. And Anastasia's mother is fifty-fifty more obnoxious, a childlike woman who seems to think her highest goal in life is to acquire another hubby (number 5? number six?). Neither lifts a finger to help Anastasia. Another interesting graphic symbol is Erika, a coworker of Anastasia, who has been browbeaten past every human in her life, starting with her male parent.
Then we meet a adult female in this volume who normally does a great job of taking care of everyone around her, but who is non and then peachy at taking care of herself. Anastasia's wit keeps her from having a breakdown under the stress. All the same, part of her own character development in this series volition be to learn how to say "no" to the mothers, how to get those teenage boys to help out more, how to assert herself at work, and how to find the courage to ask out that good-looking dude who is renting space over the garage. I think there are more than a few readers out in that location who tin can relate to this claiming.
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With a title like this, I wasn't expecting anything more than than it was. Thus, I wasn't disappointed. Anastasia was a flake of a frustration for me. As were some of the plot developments. But and so, again, with a title like this there was no way I was expecting more.
A solid 3 stars for liked
Over the summit? Aye. Formulaic? Yes. Annoying supporting bandage of characters? Yes. Implausible? Aye. Ridiculous, even? Yeah. Did I nevertheless like it as a fluff piece of roll-upwardly-and-read-on-a-winter-afternoon? Absolutely.With a title like this, I wasn't expecting anything more than it was. Thus, I wasn't disappointed. Anastasia was a bit of a frustration for me. As were some of the plot developments. But then, again, with a title like this in that location was no style I was expecting more than.
A solid three stars for liked it. Volition I read more by this author? Yes. Do I wish for improvement in her writing? Once again, yes. Still, I didn't experience like I had wasted my time.
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Lois Winston has penned a delightful first-in-the-series full of wonderful, some blench-worthy, characters, quips and digs, a fast-paced mystery journey, and fun crafting! Beware of a few curses…teenagers, you lot know. Anastasia Pollack, widowed mother of two teens, is an admirable, yet flawed, character in the face of a hubby who has plunged her into serious financial distress. She finds herself hounded past her married man's cr
"Assault With a Deadly Glue Gun" earns 5/five Gluey Situations…Engaging Fun!Lois Winston has penned a delightful first-in-the-series total of wonderful, some cringe-worthy, characters, quips and digs, a fast-paced mystery journey, and fun crafting! Beware of a few curses…teenagers, you know. Anastasia Pollack, widowed mother of two teens, is an beauteous, yet flawed, character in the confront of a married man who has plunged her into serious financial distress. She finds herself hounded by her husband's creditors, ok, loan sharks, but it's the discovery of the dead body of a co-worker glued to Anastasia'southward office chair that makes her doubtable primo. From there Lois takes readers in and around the murder investigation racked with secrets, revelations, and close scrutiny past law enforcement. A delightfully engaging book with a well-written get-go-person narrative filled with clever insights, inner thoughts, and swell descriptions. She besides includes banter between the characters that illustrates personality, tone, and emotion keeping me eager to turn each page. Add a female parent-in-law from hell and a mother non much ameliorate…well, you've got to feel that on your own! She provided a satisfying ending, simply information technology popped up a little before than I like…I'm fractional to suspense to the end. Don't forget the bonus, a perfect mode to brand something so special with marvelous "Anastasia's Crafts" ideas: Handmade Bridal Tennies, Birdseed Roses, Recycled Jeans Placemats, 4th of July Clay Pot Candles, and Decoupaged Flag Tray.
"Disclosure: I received an ARC. My review is voluntary with honest insights and comments."
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Lois Winston has created a prissy li I first discovered this book on a fellow writer's blog. It was interesting but I don't often discover books that I come across on blogs since my access is express (I know I could go online simply then my budget would never forgive me). Imagine my surprise when this book appeared on the listing of new books at the library. When I finally worked my way down the pile of books from the library to this gem I devoured it. (Why is information technology that all my requests are bachelor at the same time?)
Lois Winston has created a prissy lilliputian mystery. Assualt with a Deadly Glue Gun introduces Anastasia Pollack, a crafts editor for a national magazine. The story starts with Anastasia'due south husband dying and leaving her in a mount of debt due to his closet gambling addiction. The debts go on piling on every bit the story continues. And he left her with his mother who was staying until she could get dorsum on her feet. If that's not enough, her mother's hubby dies and Anastasia presently has both mothers and a firm total of chaos and a co-worker is found murdered at her desk-bound (like how I did that?).
The story is corking. It does wrap up a picayune to quickly at the end but overall it'south a slap-up read. There is so much going on in this book that it's practically overwhelming but information technology's realistic. The story is peppered with sense of humor and action (I really laughed out loud at one point and startled myself).
I await forrad to the side by side book in this series and highly recommend it. At that place are a few craft ideas in the book simply I don't recall it works as well as those mysteries with recipes. Crafts are really visual and I couldn't motion picture half of what the end results were suppose to be only that's only a trivial part of the book and piece of cake to skip over. ...more
She certainly doesn't need to notice the expressionless trunk of a much-despised coworker in her
Anastasia Pollack is upwards to her neck in issues. She's newly widowed - finding out only afterwards her husband'southward death that he wasn't who she thought he was. Karl was a gambling addict who swindled away their life savings, plotted to steal his mother's life savings and get her run over with a automobile, spent his sons' higher funds, and got in bed with a loan shark...a loan shark who is at present coming to call on Anastasia.She certainly doesn't need to notice the expressionless body of a much-despised coworker in her desk chair...killed by her hot glue gun. Anastasia ends up a murder suspect at the aforementioned fourth dimension she is trying to figure out how to keep the loan shark from collecting on his debt.
I liked this story a lot. There were a few linguistic communication issues I didn't recollect were necessary to the story (stiff cursing, simply only a couple of times). They didn't add to the story at all, and I feel they could take been left out. Anastasia is a grapheme that I liked right away - I merely felt bad for her and the predicament she was placed in. She was saddled with all this debt, dealing with both her mother-in-law and her mother under her roof, besides every bit two teenage sons (who were the ones cursing a few times). Between that, work, and all the crazy problems like murder and mob loan sharks, Anastasia had a lot going on. But she was pretty smart and information technology was nice to kind of encounter a flawed character. She knew she wasn't the best looking or smartest woman out there, simply she wasn't trying to be either. I will read more in this series.
I read this book in a boxed ready chosen Sleuthing Women, which was provided to me in exchange for my honest review. My opinions were not influenced in any way.
...more Could life get any worse? It isn't until her husband dies of a heart attack that Anastasia learns that he has a serious gambling addiction. Not only did he cash out every penny they had saved, but he died in debt t
Attack with a Deadly Gum Gun is fun cozy in spite of the endless problems Anastasia's hubby left her to confront. I enjoyed the interaction with her co-workers and wait forward to getting to know her hunky tenant better! I will exist reading the whole series now that I have met this coiffure.Could life get any worse? Information technology isn't until her husband dies of a heart attack that Anastasia learns that he has a serious gambling addiction. Not simply did he cash out every penny they had saved, just he died in debt to a loan shark who expects her to come upward with $50,000 in just a few days and he is intent on making her life miserable until she hands over the money. Money that he has reason to believe her husband had before he died.
And so there is the monster-in-law that they had planned on providing with alternating housing since her savings went up in smoke along with all of her possessions when her apartment building burned down. This is the one character that I got tired of; I felt that Anastasia had plenty problems for any humorous volume character although she provides much of the humor in the book.
And and so there is the dead torso that shows upwards in her office and the murder used her industrial sized glue gun that is covered with Anastasia fingerprints since she regularly uses it in her job every bit editor for the craft section of a supermarket woman'due south magazine.
I read this book in the collection Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries, Books ane and 2.
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Early on, I figured out whodunit merely th
Crafts editor Anastasia Pollack is at her funniest and about adamant when her luck is at its worst, and she'due south but been run over past the bad luck passenger vehicle of life. Information technology may exist hard to imagine how hilarious a book can be when the protagonist'due south husband dies and leaves her broke and in debt and with a Communist mother-in-law who moves in with her—but it only gets funnier. And though I cringed at the image I plant the weird creativity of the murder itself it comical.Early on, I figured out whodunit but this was still a nonstop page-turner. I enjoyed reading to see if I was right. Anastasia is an irresistible grapheme. While some of the comedy—her female parent's many marriages, her parrot that quotes Shakespeare at the perfect moment—is larger than life, the protagonist feels existent, and and so exercise her teenaged sons and her relationship with them. Winston strikes exactly the right residue between believable and over-the-peak. The pacing of the plot kept me asking how Anastasia was going to go out of each crisis and when and how the killer would get caught. The narrative style is so engaging, I think I could read a book without a plot by Winston and notwithstanding be entertained.
For those who enjoy the truly cozy aspect of a cozy mystery, there are arts and crafts projects at the back of the book—directions how to do the projects Anastasia works on in the course of the story. At that place's besides a tempting sneak peek at the next book in the series, which promises to be every bit agreeable and well crafted.
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When Marlys is constitute dead on the premises, in Anastasia'southward office, murdered with Anastasia's glue gun, Anastasia seems the prime suspect.
As if life wasn't difficult enough. Her feckless dead husband has left her with insurmountable debts, the mob are chasing her for money owed, she has two teenage sons, a parrot that quot Anastasia Pollack works as a Craft Editor on a low key fashion magazine. The editor, Marlys, has it appears slept her manner to her position and made several enemies along the way.
When Marlys is institute dead on the premises, in Anastasia's function, murdered with Anastasia'south glue gun, Anastasia seems the prime suspect.
Every bit if life wasn't difficult plenty. Her feckless dead husband has left her with insurmountable debts, the mob are chasing her for coin owed, she has 2 teenage sons, a parrot that quotes Shakespeare and a communist mother in law.
It's a very engaging read, although I worked out the murderer some halfway in. The denouement is a little rushed and far likewise reliant on the murderer explaining to someone else how and why the murder was committed. There could have been a tad more suspense at this bespeak but overall it didn't detract from an enjoyable read. I'll likely read more than of these as now the characters are established it might exist more than of an hazard.
This came to me as part of a ten novel 'lady sleuth' ready by dissimilar authors. This is the beginning. Let's hope the remainder achieve or exceed the quality of this one.
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Anastasia's list of troubles got to the signal where it was a bit ridiculous. It was (almost) worse than what the difficult boiled guys got. Also, a few too many quirks. For example: a Shakespeare quoting parrot adopted from quondam teaching aunt, her female parent's cat who's named afterward a Russian princess who may or may not be a relation, and a ill-behaving communist dog who just likes the mother in law
When someone at work is killed via glue gun, Anastasia takes the instance. Someone has to prove it wasn't herAnastasia's listing of troubles got to the point where information technology was a scrap ridiculous. Information technology was (near) worse than what the hard boiled guys got. Besides, a few too many quirks. For example: a Shakespeare quoting parrot adopted from erstwhile educational activity aunt, her female parent'due south true cat who's named afterwards a Russian princess who may or may not be a relation, and a ill-behaving communist dog who only likes the female parent-in-law and has to consume the special overpriced canned food. And that's merely the pets.
Also - Winston hit two pet peeves:
1) You get to eat nutrient at to the lowest degree once without having to say how horrible you're existence and/or mentioning cellulite.
2) Winston used the word tennies like 12 times. Can't explain why, but good grief that work irks me. I detest information technology.
Includes two crafts but one is decorating a pair of bridal Keds. And so yep.
That said, despite the fact that Anastasia hasn't quite figured out her sleuthing, there's some hope. I might cheque out the adjacent from the library.
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That beingness said, I liked the
I liked the premise of this book and the suspense, but I feel like at that place was a lot of unnecessary fluff. How many times did nosotros actually Demand to read iii paragraphs about how the mother'south cat & mother in law's dog hated each other and would growl and hiss at each other? we become it, move on! Sometimes there was and then much going on, I felt similar I was watching an I Love Lucy episode where everything was simply piling on, and I prayed to God all the antics got wrapped up somehow.That being said, I liked the character and the story itself. Enjoyed reading it, but don't feel a need to read whatever more of this series. I'd rather only pretend her life got back on track and didn't have to endure anymore hardships/murders.
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The plot is decent for a murder mystery.
Anastasia Pollack is a lovable anti- heroine. It wasn't laugh out loud funny like early on 'Stephanie Plum' simply information technology made me smile and the twists were unexpected simply made sense.
I call up I'll look for the side by side ane in this series. amusing characters!
The plot is decent for a murder mystery.
Anastasia Pollack is a lovable anti- heroine. It wasn't laugh out loud funny like early on 'Stephanie Plum' but it made me smile and the twists were unexpected but made sense.
I think I'll look for the side by side one in this series. ...more
As the troubles come to light, Anastasia's rotten, slutty co-worker at the mag is discovered in Anastasia's office, glued to her chair, dead. Of class Anastasia's is the number one suspect.
I rated the book two stars, for "OK" considering it was a quick read and writer Lois Winston does have talent. But I only felt like I was reading a low finish Janet E. novel, who by the way, has become slow and redundant with her Stephanie Plum novels. ...more
Anastasia Pollack's career equally crafts editor at a New York women's magazine is a unique premise for a mystery serial. In the opening pages, recently widowed Anastasia finds out her dearly departed husband wasn't the helpful partner she'd married. If possible, her life gets worse when a coworker is killed and approximate who is the prime doubtable? Bad luck sticks to Anastasia, well . . . like hot glue.
Surrounded by a hilarious bandage of characters includin
Bonus points for a creatively gruesome murder weapon.Anastasia Pollack'southward career every bit crafts editor at a New York women's mag is a unique premise for a mystery series. In the opening pages, recently widowed Anastasia finds out her dearly departed hubby wasn't the helpful partner she'd married. If possible, her life gets worse when a coworker is killed and guess who is the prime suspect? Bad luck sticks to Anastasia, well . . . like hot mucilage.
Surrounded past a hilarious bandage of characters including two teenage sons, two obnoxious mothers and their pets, and helpful but bumbling coworkers, Anastasia has and then much on her plate the reader genuinely questions whether she'll find a style out of the mess. Especially when the mob gets involved.
I'll admit, I was skeptical of this book at first.
Two reviews on the encompass compared Anastasia Pollack to Stephanie Plum in the Janet Evanovich serial. If you know anything nearly my reading tastes, you'd know that my mental vacation to Trenton, NJ to visit Stephanie's friends and family unit is the highlight of my annual literary adventures. Could anyone write characters as memorable equally Lula and Ranger?
Only the reviewers were right.
This story is prepare in New Jersey with a cast of wacky family and friends, but Anastasia is an older, more than mature answer to Stephanie Plum. The only style she can cope with the truly horrible things that keep messing upwards her life is to battle back using her wit and cleverness. Anastasia corrals her communist mother-in-law, clueless mother, and entitled sons to assistance out for a change, for cripes' sake.
The mystery kept me laughing and guessing whodunnit until the end.
If you lot similar solid mysteries filled with ironic i-liners, y'all'll like this series. I'm excited to continue reading the rest of them. Lois Winston includes craft directions at the end for the projects mentioned in the book.
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It'southward as well got too much going on, a lot of repetition, very little to do with crafting (not a bad matter in my humble opinion), and, in the example of Zachary Barnes, a lot of scenery setting that goes nowhere.
Recently widowed Anastasia Pollack finds out that not just has dead hubby Karl wiped out all their savings, he also owed $l,000 in gambling debts and Ricardo is threatening "Attack with a Deadly Gum Gun" has an interesting cast, a good humor, and a slightly improve than boilerplate plot.
It'due south also got as well much going on, a lot of repetition, very little to do with crafting (not a bad thing in my humble opinion), and, in the example of Zachary Barnes, a lot of scenery setting that goes nowhere.
Recently widowed Anastasia Pollack finds out that not only has dead hubby Karl wiped out all their savings, he also owed $fifty,000 in gambling debts and Ricardo is threatening her family unless he gets information technology. And then, of course, there is the murder of unpopular coworker Marlys whose body is left conveniently glued to Anastasia'south desk-bound!
Information technology's a tale of survival on all fronts for Anastasia.
Peradventure I am all cosied out at the moment just information technology only didn't really work for me. Information technology'southward not great, it's not bad … it'south in between.
2.v Stars rounded up to iii Stars because I did get a chuckle or two out of information technology. ...more
Enough of people, lots of motives and a crazy cast of characters make this an enjoyable read. Her mother, who has buried numerous husbands, her mother-in-police force a geriatric communist, 2 sons and a tenant hunk make for some interesting sidebars in this murder mystery.
I
The MC in this story is a arts and crafts editor and author for a women'due south magazine. She finds the way editor glued to her chair and calculator keyboard. This woman is not liked by anyone but the only fingerprints on the mucilage gun or the MC's.Plenty of people, lots of motives and a crazy bandage of characters make this an enjoyable read. Her mother, who has buried numerous husbands, her mother-in-law a geriatric communist, two sons and a tenant hunk make for some interesting sidebars in this murder mystery.
I didn't requite it 4 stars because at that place were just a bit tooo many bad things happening to ane adult female in the course of a week.
I gave it more than 3 because at to the lowest degree in this story the cops didn't cease up being complete idiots.
...more than I love mysteries of all kinds. But when I need to relax, I love a funny mystery with madcap characters.
I am now going back to get all the books in this series.
Assault with a Deadly Glue Gun is the first in the series. You accept a widow whose husband dropped dead in Las Vegas gambling away all the family savings and maxing out the credit cards. She has the female parent-in-law from hell living with her
I love mysteries of all kinds. But when I need to relax, I love a funny mystery with madcap characters.
I am now going back to get all the books in this series.
Assault with a Mortiferous Glue Gun is the first in the series. You take a widow whose husband dropped expressionless in Las Vegas gambling away all the family savings and maxing out the credit cards. She has the mother in law from hell living with her and her ditzy mother come up to stay after she lost her fifth or sixth married man. She also has a loan shark coming after her for her husband'south debts. Lois Winston magically makes this into a laugh a minute mystery. I can not wait to see what will happen next.
A dead husband, a lot of debt, a dodgy loan shark, and the murder of a fellow employee within her own office, Anastasia Pollack can't catch a interruption.
And she'south no detective either. But this story is a delightful yarn woven about Anastasia'southward growing household, including her mother in law and her female parent.
I loved Anastasia, she seems to take it all going for her, then it isn't, and its not just little things, they are large, life changing things.
And there are crafts, considering a daughter
A dead married man, a lot of debt, a dodgy loan shark, and the murder of a young man employee within her own office, Anastasia Pollack tin't catch a break.
And she'southward no detective either. But this story is a delightful yarn woven near Anastasia'due south growing household, including her mother in law and her female parent.
I loved Anastasia, she seems to take it all going for her, then information technology isn't, and its not only picayune things, they are big, life irresolute things.
And there are crafts, because a girl can't survive without her glue gun.
The characters and situations were merely wacky enough to be incredibly fun merely still completely plausible. Information technology was a fun mystery that I didn't figure out earlier all was revealed. That's a rarity with me and mysteries.
Fun!The characters and situations were but wacky enough to be incredibly fun simply nevertheless completely plausible. It was a fun mystery that I didn't figure out earlier all was revealed. That's a rarity with me and mysteries.
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I'k non sure Anastasia Pollack bears as much resemblance to Stephanie Plum as the author would similar, merely the story was a fun and fast-paced romp. Anastasia and her sons accept much to cope with!
USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women'south fiction, children's chapter books, and nonfiction under her own proper name and her Emma Carlyle pen name. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, "Due north Bailiwick of jersey's
Newsletter sign-up: https://app.mailerlite.com/webforms/l...Us Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning writer Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women'southward fiction, children'southward chapter books, and nonfiction under her own proper noun and her Emma Carlyle pen proper noun. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, "North Jersey's more mature answer to Stephanie Plum." In addition, Lois is a sometime literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source textile for both her characters and plots from her experiences in the crafts industry.
Visit Lois and Emma at world wide web.loiswinston.com and visit Anastasia at the Killer Crafts & Crafty Killers weblog, world wide web.anastasiapollack.blogspot.com. Follow everyone on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Anasleuth.
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