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Book Review: Laughing Can Kill You

Rating:

☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Title: Laughing Can Kill You

Author: Maggie King

Publication Date: November 25, 2021

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Women Sleuths

Cover:

The Laughing Can Kill You cover is eye-catching with its bright red smiling skull set front and center, and the font has a maniacal quality that fits nicely with the subject matter. The cover conveys a sense that the story will be amusing and mysterious.

Premise

When Hazel Rose, a romance writer, is dropped by her publisher, she takes a mystery writing class. Little does she know she will soon be asked to solve not one but two murders as she attempts to clear even her own name from the list of suspects. But don’t worry! She’s not on her own. She receives help from her husband, a former police detective, and a close-knit circle of friends and family.

Why I chose this book:

Author Maggie King requested this review. I was happy to accept the submission based on the title alone, as I found it playful and intriguing. This was also an ideal choice for a weekend read.

First Impression:

I was quickly drawn into the story as it opens with the murder scene. King maintained a steady pace of inserting new bits of drama from various characters while still dropping clues here and there. I finished half of the book in one sitting and was shocked at how quickly time passed.

What I loved:

The fun of reading a mystery lies in solving the case before the author solves it for you, and King does not make it easy as she introduces character after character of potential suspects. I maintained a mental list of characters and their possible motives as I dug through the clues. Just when I was convinced I had the answer, King would drop another hint that would make me reconsider my suspicions and alter course. My brain felt much like a pinball bouncing between tidbits of information!

Two of King’s strengths as an author lie in her ability to describe characters and settings. As previously mentioned, Laughing Can Kill You contains a long list of major and minor characters. King skillfully provides relevant information about each one that allows the reader to then fill in the gaps and make further assumptions about what the characters might be like or what they are going through. Also, her ability to describe the physical locations referenced in her book is excellent. At times, I felt as if I was right there in Virginia, walking around the historic city of Richmond with the characters and popping into various restaurants and shops with them.

Additional Thoughts:

Before reading Laughing Can Kill You, I was unfamiliar with the terms “cozy mystery” or “cozies,” although I have certainly read other books that fit this genre. In fact, the day I read this book was what I affectionately call a “pajama day,” in which I stay in pajamas for at least a portion of the day while I sip coffee or tea and indulge in a fast, fun read. I don’t know about you, but that’s about as “cozy” as it gets for me! If you care to read up on what a cozy mystery is, then please check out author Debbie Young’s article “What is a Cozy Mystery and Why is it So Popular?”

When considering the star rating, I decided that the only fair approach was to evaluate the book within the context of similar genres. I am not interested in ever ranking this type of book against another five-star book from a different genre, such as historical fiction or epic fantasy, as it is like comparing apples to oranges. They each fulfill a need within a reader despite looking and feeling very different, and both types of authors should be celebrated for the skill required to write within their specific genre.

Quotable Quotes:

• “Finding a dead body is very well…intimate.” (Page 47)
• After we ended the call, I reflected on the brevity of life. Briefer for some than others. (Page 55)
• A funny and inescapable thing about progress: it often required wading through quicksand. (Page 233)
• “I’m a writer. Always on the lookout for the human interest angle.” (Page 259)
• Principled could be such a trial, especially during an investigation. (Page 305)

Who might enjoy this book:

Laughing Can Kill You is ideal for those readers who enjoy fun, fast-paced mysteries without gore in which an amateur sleuth solves the case.

Overall Impression:

Five stars. Laughing Can Kill You captures all the cozy mystery elements from a likable amateur sleuth and an unlikable murder victim to an inviting setting. King’s meticulous writing style allows her to efficiently introduce characters and places to the reader in a way that makes both feel familiar. And despite my solving the mystery of “whodunit,” King still surprised me with twists and turns I did not see coming. I am officially a fan of cozy mysteries and an even bigger fan of Maggie King!

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