MURDER BY THE BOOK

MURDER BY THE BOOK by Amie Schaumberg

There is so much to like about this murder mystery (if murder mysteries are your thing like they are mine!). Unfortunately, there are some things to be aware of as well.

Murder By the Book is author Amie Schaumberg's debut novel. Schaumberg is an English professor, and boy, does her knowledge of classic literature pour through the pages which is one of the serious "pros" of this book.

Set around a college campus, Professor Emma Reilly's classes are full of debate and discussion surrounding the literary greats. She knows her books, so when a a college girl is found dead and the scene and victim have been constructed to look like Ophelia from Hamlet, Emma knows there are clues left behind by the killer that the police would struggle to understand. The problem is they don't want her help. But then another body is discovered, and this time the constructed scene and victim are laid out like The Lady of Shalott. Then a third victim is found, and it doesn't take much to realize that with each murder, the murderer is talking to Emma through the scenes and moving closer into her circle. Armed with the help of her professor friends in psychology and art, Emma begins to unravel what is happening and the motive behind it all, but this murderer isn't playing by the book. Twists and turns abound that keep readers hanging on by a thread until the very end.

HEADS UP - The biggest factor in this book is the language. There is a decent amount with lots of f-bombs.

-One of the detectives is gay - married to a man and has kids. There are 2-3 times remarks are made in passing about his home life such as they took the kids to Disney World. Quick, passing comments.

-There are some crass references. There is no sex in the book, but occasionally, a remark about sex will pop up.