Two Birds with One Stone (Marsden-Lacey Cozy Mysteries) (Volume 1)

I bought this book because I enjoy doggy mysteries, but the precious Maltipoo (or Bichon) never turned up to help solve the mystery. Am I the only one who's confused? In any case, it doesn't matter because I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would, and now I'm off to order the other books in the series. Maybe a cute doggy will show up in one of them ;-)

If you like convoluted English period mysteries you will be pleased you took a chanced on this one. The characters are worth of Anne Perry and as much fun as Sherlock Holmes. Littleford and Ryes are sometimes silly and sometimes serious (especially after someone tries to kill one of them) and Sigrid Vansandt works 'em like a veteran writer. Melding British and U.S. Southern is no easy task, but Vansandt is skillful enough to call her an expert.

There is an interesting but not complicated plot. Helen and Martha are two brave if not sensible middle aged women. There is a little suspense and a little mystery and a little romance. This book is for the cozy reader looking for entertainment.

Paralegal Martha Littleword and book expert Helen Ryes are two Americans living in a small village in England. They first meet in The Grange, a building that has one of the best libraries in England representing 19th century authors. They immediately strike up a friendship but as they are leaving they discover a murdered man, Sir Carsons, by the receptionist desk. Sir Carsons is not quite dead but he will die later in hospital. The two ladies decide to see if they can play a bit of detective but when another man is murdered and an attempt is made on their lives, they realize that they may have bitten off more than they can chew.

This is a good simple read, with good descriptions to give one a sense of the quiet peacefulness of the English countryside. Most of the characters in the story seem rather nice even the murderer but you won't find out who that is until the end. Of course the ladies get invited to the Manor house of Piers Cousins, for the tennis matches. One couldn't have a good English murder mystery without being surrounded by servants and fashionable society now could one? A good fun read, what one expect in a cozy mystery.

Two Birds With One Stone takes place in Marsden-Lacey, England where two women from Arkansas, USA, meet and almost immediately find a dead body at the reception desk at The Grange—a relatively new site for collecting artistic treasures. They soon become engaged as a team in trying to solve a series of murders while being targeted by the presumed murderer. This book develops a friendship, contains some potential romance, and introduces law abiding and less scrupulous characters as the first book in the series.

Delightful English mystery with an English twist. Two midlife American women, Helen, who is a book expert and Martha who is a paralegal, through a set of circumstances team up together to solve the mystery of an obnoxious man who has been murdered. The camaraderie between the two women is hilarious. Loved the writing style of this author. Will definitely check out some of her other work. Clean mystery, no blood and gore, no foul language. Quite refreshing. The murderer is a surprise.

Enjoyed this beginning to a new to me series. Lots of dry humor and realistic conversation with right amount of escapism fun. My very favorite line is when Gus the dog got an entire, quote: "long as him," piece of bacon and he takes off presumably to bury it and Martha says something like "great, now he'll wake me at 3:am to reheat it for him!" I read that passage to hubs and we both laughed over that as we can totally relate!

This was a great first of series book with enjoyable characters and a good plot. Lots of possibilities for another book.

Two American women working in England become acquainted and become friends and cohorts in solving the mystery of a death, then two, plus a shooting, and while they're at it, become interested in two English gentlemen. A bit silly at times but it never lost it's enjoyability.

I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy mystery and can't wait to read the next book in this series. Siqrid VanSandt is a new author for me and I'm so glad I found her book. The two main characters, Helen and Martha, are pleasant characters and I enjoyed their banter back and forth. This book has everything, a mystery, a little romance, and a fun read with a few twists. I must admit I did figure out who the murderer was but still enjoyed the book and I highly recommend this story and author.

I am pleasantly surprised with this series. Intro book is very well written with clever story line, and a well developed plot with sufficient twists. I expected Marsden- Lacey to be the characters, but it is the town. Since both heroines are Americans, I almost feel being there with them in the English countryside! I enjoyed the small romance which can continue into another book or not. We shall see.

As a reader of mostly non-fiction, I thorooughly enjoy a book that can help me escape into a simpler realm with characters developed to be entertaining and comforting. That is what Vansandt is able to create with "Two Birds with One Stone": A place of escape where the reader can sit in a comfortable chair, sip a cup of tea, and listen in on the goings-on of the day. It is a simpler place, full of hopeful imaginative characters that are delightfully simple and brigthly developed. You can tell that the author loves them all, and is listening to their voices realistically as the plot carries the reader along. I have trouble putting down a book like this one... I can't wait to see what she will do next!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was truly a cozy mystery without the violence or macabre that is present in so many mysteries today. Funny in places with a little romance tucked in here and there. I recommend this book.

This is a predictable story with two middle(?) ,aged females from Arkansas who are living in England. One has been widowed the other newly shafted by her husband who is engaged to a chick half his age. They stumble on a long lost manuscript and the killings begin.

Enjoyable, light reading. Nothing too sinister, shades of a very popular British television series but with a bit of a twist. Female leads have just the right amount of quirkyness that makes you feel you know people like them.

Pure escapism. I wanted to submerge myself in a light murder mystery, and this was perfect. The characters developed and I liked them all. It was fun to read, and I ordered the second book in the series to keep submerginh

This is an enjoyable entry in the "Cozies" genre, with appealing characters who are solidly middle-aged yet also hip and cool at the same time. Her descriptions of the English countryside are charming. However, it would have been far more enjoyable had the author bothered to do some very minimal fact-checking and proofreading first. To wit, she insists on referring to a character who is a person of title, Sir Alan Carstons, as "Sir Carstons" when the correct address, as any fule kno, is "Sir Alan." This is really basic stuff, and a professional writer would have checked it out. Most of the rest is just dumb: "Señor Agosto", not "Senior Agosto", "Cavalry", not "Calvary"; "Gieves & Hawkes", not "Grieves and Hawks"; "yew trees", not "ewe trees". Most double-barreled English town names are not hyphenated (Much Wenlock, Churchford Parva, Nether Stowey), as she insists on here with "Marsden-Lacey"; there is a severe comma shortage; and numerous other egregious errors that any halfway decent writer, or proofreader, would have caught in a heartbeat. All this spoiled the pleasure of the book for me. Perhaps she will improve with her third book, as the second book in the series suffers from the same mistakes. Too bad.

Sigrid VanSandt books are definitely worth the read. I am looking forward to reading more from her. Her editor could profit from learning the difference between then and than but other THAN that I enjoyed the books very much.