May Day
(Part of the Murder by Month Romcom Mystery (#1) Series, The Catalain Book of Secrets Series, and The Toadhouse Trilogy (#1) Series)
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Book Overview
Minneapolitan Mira James has been taking it easy since college graduation--too easy. Due to a dead-end job and a cheating boyfriend, the Twin Cities have lost their charm, and Mira decides to begin a new life in rural Battle Lake. Right away she is offered jobs as an assistant librarian and part-time reporter, and falls into an unexpected romance with a guy who seems to be the perfect man until he turns up dead between the reference stacks her tenth day on the job. Anxious to learn more about the man who had briefly stolen her heart, Mira delves into the hidden mysteries of Battle Lake, including a old land deed with ancient Ojibwe secrets, an obscure octogenarian crowd with freaky social lives, and a handful of thirtysomething high school buddies who hold bitter, decades-old grudges. Mira soon discovers that unknown dangers are concealed under the polite exterior of this quirky small town, and revenge is a tator-tot hotdish best served cold. A hip, humorous, and gripping account of small-town murder, this novel is the first in a series of cozies featuring Mira James, an urban woman with rural Minnesota roots. Praise: "Jess Lourey writes about a small-town assistant librarian, but this is no genteel traditional mystery. Mira James likes guys in a big way, likes booze, and isn't afraid of motorcycles. She flees a deadend job and a deadend boyfriend in Minneapolis and lands up in Battle Lake, a little town with plenty of dirty secrets. The first person narrative in May Day is fresh, the characters quirky. Minnesota has many fine crime writers, and Jess Lourey has just entered their ranks "--Ellen Hart, Lamda Award-winning author of Jane Lawless & Sophie Greenway Series
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0738708380
ISBN13:9780738708386
Release Date:March 2006
Publisher:Midnight Ink
Length:240 Pages
Weight:0.62 lbs.
Dimensions:0.6" x 5.2" x 8.0"
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
Fun in the springtime sun!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 15 years ago
Jess Lourey's debut mystery swirled with humor and horror. It was fun with a briskly moving plot.The story is well told and the lead character is believable and endearing in a mildly gritty sort of way. The only hang-up I had with May Day was Mira's cat, Tiger Pop. He's not mentioned frequently in the story. However, one reference, "...there was no motion from the calico ball on my bed", bothered me. Calico cats are almost always female. A male is extremely rare. I was annoyed by this one small inattention to detail. It must be the cat lover in me. Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot and have eagerly devoured the next two in the series. There's a witty intelligence to these light reads that make them well worth the money.
may day
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
I think this is a great mystery, and it's filled with more substance and better writing than most books in this genre. The book is short on dialogue, which annoyed me, but that's just a personal preference. One thing that really bothered me was the character of Keenie. She was supposed to have a Southern accent, but the author got it all wrong. I could barely discern what she was saying at times. By the way, y'all is not a 2nd person, singular pronoun. It's used in the plural sense, but I think the author may have been a bit confused on that matter. Alas, the book is set in MN, so what can I say? But this is really a great mystery slash chick lit book, and I'm sure I'll read the second in the series.
Witty, fun, and well written
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
I found myself giggling aloud as I read this book before bed each night. I finally had to hide under the covers, so I wouldn't wake my husband. What a refreshing, fun, new voice amid lots of tired, old, formulaic mysteries. I really enjoyed the absolute authenticity of this young, single, smart, witty woman (Mira James). Candace Bushnell/Carrie Bradshaw couldn't have done it better! I also enjoyed the humanity and sexuality of those we so blandly call "the elderly." Kudos, Jess Lourey! I can't wait until _June Bug_!
Love this new author!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
I read an advance copy of this new mystery writer from Minnesota and loved it. She's a blend of Evanovich and Hillerman.Her characters are quirky, the local color is fun, the mystery is engrossing--an all-around good read. I understand she has another mystery in the pipeline--I can't wait.
Sassy fun!
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 19 years ago
Lourey's debut novel is zany and nonstop hilarity without being silly or unbelievable. The protagonist, Mira James, a disenchanted English graduate student, moves to Battle Lake to housesit for a friend and infiltrates small-town life through her job as an erstwhile columnist for the local paper and a part-time librarian. High jinks ensue after a romantic tryst turned relationship ends tragically. James turns her considerable research and social skills toward solving the crime to achieve both justice and pesronal closure. Lourey's strenght is her trenchant wit, cleverness, and hilarious turns of phrase. She clearly knows the small town life and can turn a witty, cynical, and at time poignant eye to the ins and outs of rural mores, local politics, and small-town gossip to paint a lurid picture of the whimsy of the midwestern burg. Readers will revel in the hard-nosed heroine's cynical take on life and delight in Lourey's way with language. If you're looking for a smarter, more capable, and funnier (on purpose) Stephanie Plum, then this is your book. Fabulous!
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