Spring is coming up roses for Professor Emmeline Prather. Her book is finished, her classes are almost finished, and her love life is in full bloom. Then the Shakespeare Festival begins, and a tempest ensues-not the Shakespearean kind.
Coming Up Murder (A Professor Prather Mystery Book 4)
By maryangela
COMING UP MURDER by Mary Angela is the fourth book in the A Professor Prather Mystery series. It’s the wonderfully crafted story of Professor Emmeline Prather and the Shakespeare Festival to be held at the university where she works in Cooper Bluff, South Dakota. It’s a time of joyful celebration, a book publication on the horizon, romance in the air and a murderer lurks in the shadows.
Emmeline is definitely in her element at the festival wanting to attend as many events as possible, many accompanied by fellow professor and romantic interest Lenny, and somewhat nervous about her own presentation.
The first hint of trouble came in the form of an unsigned sonnet that was submitted into the contest with hints to foreboding events. Then feathers got ruffled early in the events when grad student/actor Tanner Sparks announces during a presentation that he could prove that Shakespeare was not the actual author of the First Folio presently on display at the university. Shortly thereafter, Reed and Emmeline find Tanner in the Shakespeare’s Garden dead. Not only dead, but staged to look like a scene out of Hamlet. Ruffled feathers or not, was it enough to cause someone to murder this young man?
Emmeline is ecstatic when a publisher contacts her wanting to publish her book she had submitted. However, the publishing process if far from a smooth one. She wonders whether the book will show up on the market before she herself will be up on charges of murder for killing her publisher’s editor. During all the events of the festival – good and bad, now she has to contend with seeing justice done to her book. She’s also wondering if the feeling she has for Lenny are reciprocate. Then events begin to happen to where Emmeline wonders if she is the real target that the evil predator is really after and if so why was Tanner killed? Will she be next?
Can Emmeline find the answers to her questions and enough clues to help authorities find the murderer before they strike again? Does she have more to worry about than an editor taking an ax to creative work? Will the big “L” word finally come up in her relationship with Lenny?
COMING UP MURDER is definitely a page turner that will keep you guessing as danger lurks and suspects add up. Love the way Mary Angela pulls emotions from you having you loving some characters while holding others at arm’s length. I for one am pulling for an eventual lifetime happily ever after for Emmeline and Lenny. Although part of a series, COMING UP MURDER can definitely be read as a standalone book. This was the first book in the series for me and I had no trouble with characters or events at all. I do know that after reading this book, I will be searching out other books in this series as well as looking forward to book number five. I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves a great cozy mystery, a book that will entertains while working your brain trying to figure out whodunit or just wants an amazing book to read. I give it FIVE STARS!
I have read all of the previous books in this series and was looking forward to reading the latest book with main character Emmeline Prather. Emmeline is an English professor at a small college in South Dakota. In this book there is a Shakespeare Festival taking place with Shakespeare’s First Folio on display and some visiting professors with expertise on him giving lectures. Emmeline is also on a panel and Hamlet is being performed by the Theater Department. One of the actors is found dead and Emmeline is one of the people that finds the body. She liked the student and feels like she is being challenged by the killer to solve the mystery. There is also a romance angle to this latest installment. I learned a lot about Shakespeare in this book and found the mystery intriguing. This is a great addition to this series.
The fourth installment of the Professor Prather Series is also my favorite. It’s a treat to take a break from the more serious mysteries I typically read with this delightful cozy series.
The story finds the intrepid Emmeline Prather hot on the heels of a killer with more than a little bit of knowledge about Shakespeare. Mary Angela deftly weaves the academic world and the research into the Bard throughout the plot of this clever, academic mystery.
Fun ensues, guaranteed to please every cozy reader, and anyone who loves a good mystery.
Incredibly enjoyable and highly recommended – I loved it! Coming Up Murder, author Mary Angela’s 4th Professor Prather mystery, is a wonderfully cozy mystery…filled with Shakespeare, the Great Plains, love, and murder! A+++
Coming Up Murder by Mary Angela is a book that many of Shakespeare’s fans will love.
Would someone kill to protect Shakespeare’s name?
Professor Emmeline Prather
Professor Prather is an intelligent woman who has a serious boyfriend, a book being published, and she is the local Mis Marple. So, our sleuth and main character.
I like that she isn’t afraid to be herself. She eats what she wants, dresses in what she is comfortable in, and lives in the manner that suits her. Em doesn’t make excuses for herself, and she accepts what is or figures out the puzzle.
The Mystery & Story
The mystery was well played, and the subplots were nice. I am not sure about all of the academic parts, although I liked the way that Professor Prather reveals who the killer is. I didn’t realize that so many people were so into Shakespeare, well, except the theater ones. Still, it was a delightful mystery and story.
Four Stars
I like the story but thought the Shakespeare part was overwhelming. Therefore I am giving Coming Up Murder by Mary Angela, four stars. If you like cozy mysteries, this is a good one, and if you like Shakespeare, you’ll love this story.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Great Escapes Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Coming Up Murder by Mary Angela.
Anyways, until next time,
Karen the Baroness
If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
Another great adventure with the English Professor! Emmeline is excited to be part of an upcoming Shakespeare festival at the college that includes the presence of a copy of the First Folio. If course this includes lots of experts on the subject with differing opinions. Tempers flair and a promising grad student is found dead. Asked by her boss to get involved she quickly starts nosing around leading us on a merry adventure as the clues unfold. Filled with Shakespeare facts along with the literary twists we have come to expect this makes for a fun read full of all types of characters to both love and hate. Perfect for fans of cozies. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.
I enjoyed this charming trip back to Copper Bluff. The mystery is captivating and well-written, while also catching me up on the lives of all the characters I have come to adore. The book ends in such a way that the mystery reaches a conclusion, but readers will be on the edge of their seats waiting for Emmeline’s next adventure.
To be or not to be a controversy. The question is, who was William Shakespeare?
The discussion or controversy turns deadly at a springtime Shakespearean Festival in South Dakota.
Is the world of Academia truly this fierce or dangerous? Or is it the challenge of becoming published? What motivates people to kill?
With clean yet intriguing content about controversy and secret lives, this book appeals to mystery lovers of many types and levels. Characters we enjoy and want to know better populate this series.
There is some romantic element but it does not detract from the plot.
Whether you are a fan of the bard (or not) or of modern day sleuth television, there is something here for you.