Author: Charlaine Harris
Narrator: Julia Gibson
Series: Lily Bard (Book 1)
Publication: Berkley Prime Crime (November 1, 2005); Recorded Books (August 11, 2009)
Length: 214 p.; 6 hours and 47 minutes
Description: #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris’s Shakespeare's Landlord is the first book in the Lily Bard mystery series
Welcome to Shakespeare, Arkansas. Lily Bard came to the small town of Shakespeare to escape her dark and violent past. Other than the day-to-day workings of her cleaning and errand-running service, she pays little attention to the town around her. So when she spots a dead body being dumped in the town green, she's inclined to stay well away. But she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and despite her best efforts, she's dragged into the murder case.
Lily doesn't care who did it, but when the police and local community start pointing fingers in her direction, she realizes that proving her innocence will depend on finding the real killer in quiet, secretive Shakespeare.
My Thoughts: Cleaning woman Lily Bard is trying to build a new life for herself in Shakespeare, Arkansas, after some traumatic events elsewhere. She keeps herself busy with her housecleaning jobs, body building and martial arts. Even so, some nights she just can't sleep because of the memories.
One night, she discovers someone she doesn't recognize hauling something to the arboretum across the street from her house. She notices because they are using her garbage can cart! After they leave and go into the nearby apartment building, Lily decides to investigate. She finds the body of Pardon Albee who owns the apartment building and sold Lily her house. Not wanting to get involved, she makes an anonymous phone call the Police Chief Claude Friedrich.
She doesn't want to get involved, but she cleans for most of the residents of the apartment building among others in town and her curiosity is engaged. But she does more than investigate. She's also beginning a romantic relationship with her almost-divorced karate instructor and having confrontations with a drunk who lives in the apartment building and is supposed to clean the church Lily is also hired to clean.
I enjoyed getting to know Lily and gradually learning about her traumatic past. Julia Gibson did a good job with all the Southern accents and also did a good job with the pacing of the story.
Favorite Quote:
Favorite Quote:
"Something was bothering you tonight," he said.Marshall had never said anything more personal than "Good kick," or "Keep your hand and wrist in line with your arm," or "You've really worked on those biceps." Because of our long camaraderie, I felt obliged to answer.
I bought the book before 2008 and the audiobook at a recent Audible sale. You can buy your copy here.
A new one for me. Thanks for the review.
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