Young, overworked, overtired, overstressed medical intern Sarah James has no time for sleuthing. Her elderly neighbors, the spunky Fog Ladies, have nothing but time. When, one by one, old ladies die in their elegant apartment building in San Francisco, Sarah assumes it is the natural consequence of growing old. The Fog Ladies assume murder. Mrs. Bridge falls off a stool cleaning bugs out of her … her kitchen light. Mrs. Talwin hits her head in the bathtub and drowns. Suddenly, the Pacific Heights building is turning over tenants faster than the fog rolls in on a cool San Francisco evening.Sarah resists the Fog Ladies’ perseverations. But when one of them falls down the stairs and tells Sarah she was pushed, even Sarah believes evil lurks in their building. Can they find the killer before they fall victim themselves?
more
This was such a fun, light read. It was the characters that stood out for me. Each one was unique and came to life from the pages as they tried to figure out who (if anyone) was murdering women in their building. It made me hope to have such a good group of friends when I’m old and gray. I especially enjoyed the relationship between Sarah and Mrs. Noonan because few young people go out of their way to get to know senior citizens, and I found it inspiring.
When Sarah James moved into the Pacific Heights apartment building, the last thing she expected to be doing is looking for clues to finger a murderer. She’s working overtime completing her medical residency at a local San Francisco hospital. But the Fog Ladies, as they’re affectionately known in her building, are dead set there’s something sinister going on. These deaths and accidents are no coincidence and just because the victims are elderly doesn’t mean they deserve to die. But who could it be? Sarah and the Fog Ladies are on the case. Will they discover the culprit in time or will Sarah be the next victim?
It’s been a long time since I read a cozy mystery like The Fog Ladies. It’s character-driven and these characters are a hoot. Each character has its own distinctive voice. Sarah is my favorite character, but my second favorite has to be the outrageous Mrs. Carmichael. She’s opinionated, feisty and adds plenty of hilarity to the plot. Plus her addiction to Starbucks makes her genuine.
Why is this a 5-star book? First and foremost, the mystery was tricky to solve and just when I thought I had it all figured out, Susan McCormick revealed the true villain. A few red herrings added intrigue to the mystery. Most cozies are easy-peasy but not this one. Kudos to the author for creating a mystery hard to unravel. The plot blended with the zany characters makes this a must-read for mystery and cozy mystery readers alike! Highly recommend!
If you’re looking for an addictive cozy mystery, look no further than The Fog Ladies. I look forward to the next installment. Fingers crossed there is one.
My Rating: 5 stars
Troubling deaths create questions for a group of tenants called The Fog Ladies. Susan McCormick has created excellent characterization and the suspense crept up on me. I definitely recommend this novel.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When Sarah James moves to San Francisco to do her medical residency, she moves into a building in Pacific Heights and begins making friend with her older neighbors. One she struggles to like is Mrs. Bridge, her neighbor who lives directly across the hall, since Mrs. Bridge is always complaining about something. When Mrs. Bridge dies unexpectedly, Sarah thinks it is a sad accident. However, some of the other residents begin to see a pattern with other deaths in the building. Was Mrs. Bridge’s death an accident? Or will Sarah find something more sinister going on?
I was excited about this book and looking forward to reading it. Unfortunately, it failed to deliver. I was a bit overwhelmed by the characters at first, but as we got to know them, I was able to keep them straight. Sadly, that was because some of them never rose above their initial stereotypical caricatures, and they were annoying caricatures at that. The plot was slow to start with then all but vanishes in the middle third before coming back for a descent resolution. Too many sub-plots really detracted. A couple parts of the book seemed off to me, including a sub-plot involving a character discovering Starbucks thanks to countless coupons in the paper. It’s a shame because I did really enjoy a few of the characters, but the rest was bad enough that I will give the rest of the series a pass.
I found this murder mystery captivating, with its colorful cast of characters and generous sprinkling of humor. Suspects abound, and although I did not solve the mystery, the murderer’s motive (when at last revealed) made perfect sense. It’s refreshing to see older characters among the protagonists, especially such delightful (or, in some cases, delightfully cantankerous) ones. Move over, Jessica Fletcher—the Fog Ladies are here!
I do love a good mystery with this catching my eye. This is the first time in reading this author. Sarah does not have time for anything but medical stuff as she is a intern. When older ladies die she does not think much of it but she will soon be seeing what the Fog Ladies think tada-Murder. It takes one of them getting hurt for her to start thinking it but after that they have to move on it. You are looking for the clues as fast as you can because you do not want any of them ladies to get it. Hence turning the pages will be in order. It is one that has the ingredient of intrigue and it filled the craving of mystery.
An entertaining read with mostly likeable characters and a plot that thickens with each page turn. With plenty of suspects and lots of red herrings this book will get you dying to know who did it.
“I couldn’t die; I still had an unused coupon.” This is type of humor you will find in this fun book.
A group of elderly women live in a high-rise apartment building in San Francisco. Some of their apartments have amazingly beautiful views of the Bay. These women have been getting together to play cards and socialize for many years. When several of them die under unusual circumstances, they begin to wonder if these deaths are truly due to old age or if there is something more sinister at work.
Sarah is a young intern, living in an apartment in the building provided by the Hospital. She becomes an honorary Fog Lady and soon becomes fast friends with several of them. Two of the ladies become involved with a young unmarried mother and soon find themselves in charge of a baby. Then, you have a grieving widower whose journal falls into the hands of the nosiest of the women, a young maintenance man who seems to be spending lots of money, an ankle-biter of a dog, and a religious zealot and you have some great characters.
The author has done a great job with her descriptions of the area and the interactions between the characters. Some you will love, some not so much, but all are delightful in their own way. Sarah’s role as a young intern is full of angst and uncertainty and this part is well-written and very believable.
The narrator did a great job and her performance added a lot to this book. I look forward to reading more books in this cozy series. “Oh dear, Oh dear!”
Audiobook Review… This is the first book that I have listened to Robin LaRee Berry has narrated. I love finding a new narrator and look forward to listening to more of her work. Robin was able to take the story that Susan McCormick wrote and bring it to life. She took a story that I did not know and pulled me right into it. I could hear the emotions that the characters felt while understanding why they were feeling that way as I listened to the story.
Book Review… This is a mystery, a murder mystery actually. Yet, it had a different feel that others I have read. The thriller part of it was more relaxed, less electrifying, less scary. I felt like because most of the characters were “old” that I struggled to connect as much as I would have. The Fog Ladies was just a story to me, I did not become invested in the outcome although I was curious as to when they would figure out who was killing the tenants.
I did not read The Fog Ladies, I listened to it in audiobook form. Maybe because I could hear the emotions, I did find myself taking extra time to listen to one more chapter, a few more minutes. The plot was easy to follow and liked how easy the story was to follow.
The Fog Ladies is the first book that I have read by Susan McCormick. This story is a murder mystery based in San Francisco. The fog ladies are a group of older women. I found this to be an enjoyable story that moved at a nice pace and there are plenty of suspects to keep you guessing.
I will be looking for more books by this author.
When her elderly neighbours start dying, Sarah is convinced it;s a function of old age. But not so The Fog Ladies! Determined to prove that their neighbours are victims of a dastardly plot, they are off in search of clues that will trap the miscreant. That they pull Sarah in along the way is only what’s necessary.
An easy, quick read; I found Fog Ladies to be highly entertaining too! My first venture into McCormick’s work, will certainly not be my last. She has a way with writing a narrative that completely occupies your mind. I hope to see much more of these ladies in future books!
[Many thanks to Voracious Readers and the author for the opportunity to read a copy of this book. I was not required to write a review. The opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.]
I truly enjoyed this version of a cozy mystery, where the amateur sleuth isn’t one character, but a whole pack of busybody retired women and an overworked medical intern, Sarah. I sympathize with Sarah, who is struggling with keeping up with the demanding schedule all medical interns go through before becoming licensed doctors. When she gets home, her apartment building is full of elderly ladies who want to ask for medical advice, as well as share their theories as to why so many of the tenants have been dying.
It eventually becomes evident that their suspicions aren’t just wild theories, but insightful observations. The story has a delightful amount of red herrings to suspect, as well as a satisfying and surprising conclusion.
An ominous suspicion creeps into the minds of the resident ladies at the Pacific Heights apartment building as they watch the fog bank inch its way over the Golden Gate Bridge. There had been a number of grave accidents in their building recently. It’s suspicious. None of the group, nicknamed The Fog Ladies, are as nimble as they used to be but they’re smart and compassionate, and determined to solve this mystery. After all, they’d called this building home for decades, and the next “accident” could be one of them. They enlist the help of Sarah James, a medical intern renting the apartment just below Frances Noonan, one of the fog ladies. And so this curious group of friends begins investigating.
Circumstances will have these ladies doubting themselves, and each other. There are complicating factors and concerns from the busy lives they lead that fascinate. These intricacies unfold and intercede upon these amateur sleuths. Gossip flies as the possible motives of other residents, their visitors, and even building maintenance people are questioned. How fun to catch little glimpses into all these interesting lives. The reader can’t help but be pulled in as a virtual friend on the team, weighing theories and judging suspects.
Many of the primary characters are seasoned seniors. This gives them such interesting personal histories and engrained personalities that are delightfully portrayed. Over their decades, they have gained perspectives and wisdom that sometimes bring compelling insights. But are they always correct? Over time have things changed, and have these ladies kept up? Do they really know contemporary human nature?
The city on the Bay is almost a character itself. San Francisco is a beautiful and yet intriguing setting that also has its own part to play in this cozy mystery story. If you like puzzling out the solution to everyday situations, The Fog Ladies is sure to give you an enjoyable challenge.
The author, Susan McCormick, writes cozy murder mysteries. She is also the author of Granny Can’t Remember Me, a children’s picture book about Alzheimer’s disease. She is a doctor, and that background is seamlessly woven into the clues of her mysteries, giving authenticity and dimension to the plot. You can learn more about the author at http://www.susanccormickbooks.com.
Are people dying in this building because of old age? Or, is something more sinister going on? Meet the Fog Ladies. Six elderly women who’s life might be cut short a little early.
I loved this book. The characters were so likable, faults and all. I didn’t want to put the book down!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The fog ladies are the best! Sarah makes time to find out what is going on and since the Fog Ladies and Sarah are on the case, surely the mystery will be solved. But I could not figure it out until the end with all of the twists and turns. Great mystery! Excellent read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.