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Aurora Teagarden #7
Last Scene Alive
Aurora Teagarden has never forgotten her first a serial killer who terrorized suburban Lawrencetown. Now that story is about to hit the small screen. Even if she wanted to, Aurora can't help getting involved. Her ex, Robin, wrote the TV movie's screenplay and her stepson, Barrett, has a starring role. Then there's Celia—the catty actress portraying Roe—who, by the way, also happens to be Robin's latest squeeze.
But when Celia is murdered and Barrett is accused, the real-life script takes a deadly turn. Between threatening letters, deranged fans and renewed feelings for Robin, Aurora has one catch a killer and make it to the final scene alive.
But when Celia is murdered and Barrett is accused, the real-life script takes a deadly turn. Between threatening letters, deranged fans and renewed feelings for Robin, Aurora has one catch a killer and make it to the final scene alive.
248 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 3, 2002
About the author
Charlaine Harris
285 books36.3k followersCharlaine Harris has been a published novelist for over thirty-five years. A native of the Mississippi Delta, she grew up in the middle of a cotton field. Charlaine lives in Texas now, and all of her children and grandchildren are within easy driving distance.
Though her early output consisted largely of ghost stories, by the time she hit college (Rhodes, in Memphis) Charlaine was writing poetry and plays. After holding down some low-level jobs, her husband Hal gave her the opportunity to stay home and write. The resulting two stand-alones were published by Houghton Mifflin. After a child-producing sabbatical, Charlaine latched on to the trend of series, and soon had her own traditional mystery books about a Georgia librarian, Aurora Teagarden. Her first Teagarden, Real Murders, garnered an Agatha nomination.
Soon Charlaine was looking for another challenge, and the result was the much darker Lily Bard series. The books, set in Shakespeare, Arkansas, feature a heroine who has survived a terrible attack and is learning to live with its consequences.
When Charlaine began to realize that neither of those series was ever going to set the literary world on fire, she regrouped and decided to write the book she’d always wanted to write. Not a traditional mystery, nor yet pure science fiction or romance, Dead Until Dark broke genre boundaries to appeal to a wide audience of people who simply enjoy a good adventure. Each subsequent book about Sookie Stackhouse, telepathic Louisiana barmaid and friend to vampires, werewolves, and various other odd creatures, was very successful in many languages.
The Harper Connelly books were written concurrently with the Sookie novels.
Following the end of Sookie's recorded adventures, Charlaine wrote the "Midnight, Texas" books, which have become a television series, also. The Aurora Teagarden books have been adapted by Hallmark Movie & Mystery.
Charlaine is a member of many professional organizations, an Episcopalian, and currently the lucky houseparent to two rescue dogs. She lives on a cliff overlooking the Brazos River.
Though her early output consisted largely of ghost stories, by the time she hit college (Rhodes, in Memphis) Charlaine was writing poetry and plays. After holding down some low-level jobs, her husband Hal gave her the opportunity to stay home and write. The resulting two stand-alones were published by Houghton Mifflin. After a child-producing sabbatical, Charlaine latched on to the trend of series, and soon had her own traditional mystery books about a Georgia librarian, Aurora Teagarden. Her first Teagarden, Real Murders, garnered an Agatha nomination.
Soon Charlaine was looking for another challenge, and the result was the much darker Lily Bard series. The books, set in Shakespeare, Arkansas, feature a heroine who has survived a terrible attack and is learning to live with its consequences.
When Charlaine began to realize that neither of those series was ever going to set the literary world on fire, she regrouped and decided to write the book she’d always wanted to write. Not a traditional mystery, nor yet pure science fiction or romance, Dead Until Dark broke genre boundaries to appeal to a wide audience of people who simply enjoy a good adventure. Each subsequent book about Sookie Stackhouse, telepathic Louisiana barmaid and friend to vampires, werewolves, and various other odd creatures, was very successful in many languages.
The Harper Connelly books were written concurrently with the Sookie novels.
Following the end of Sookie's recorded adventures, Charlaine wrote the "Midnight, Texas" books, which have become a television series, also. The Aurora Teagarden books have been adapted by Hallmark Movie & Mystery.
Charlaine is a member of many professional organizations, an Episcopalian, and currently the lucky houseparent to two rescue dogs. She lives on a cliff overlooking the Brazos River.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 607 reviews
September 12, 2015
This was the first Aurora Teagarden book I read, and I thought reading the series would make me like the character more, but instead I pretty much detest her. The mystery itself is okay, but Aurora's internal monologue drove me crazy for the entire book. I also really noticed how she's always dressing in shades of yellow, orange, brown, or dark green, and the description of the clothes make her sound like she's twenty years older than she is. The other characters also seemed to dress in these colors. In the first or second book Aurora was rather plain and mousy, but now men notice her or come on to her like she's some great beauty. There's a little bit of the changing glasses for frames to fit her mood in this book, but luckily we no longer get the prattling on about how weird her name is.
The story begins with a movie crew coming to town to film a 2-part miniseries based on the book by Robin Crusoe about the serial murders from the first Aurora Teagarden mystery. Aurora spends a good chunk of the book acting all angry because the townspeople are happy to have Hollywood come to town, and acting like she's the major victim here. Really? What about the families of people who were actually killed, like your friend Lizanne who lost both of her parents?!
Aurora also spends a good chunk of the book being judgmental about her stepson Barrett because he didn't like her and he lived off money from his father. This coming from a woman who in the first book was living free in a property owned by her mother, who worked part-time at a library and quit that job as soon as she got a minor inheritance from a friend, even though it was clear she would have to go back to work in a couple years and since she wasn't going to move out of Lawrenceton and she wasn't going to work in realty, it was obvious she'd have to go back to the library... part-time. This coming from the woman who then ended up marrying that Martin guy who was so rich but other than sex they really had nothing in common. And then she goes back to work at the library because she's bored, and her marriage was pretty unhappy no matter how she tried to paint it after his death. When she's a widow she's living off the money her husband and that friend left her and working part-time at the library but missing work all the time. Whereas Barrett does try to get as many roles as he can, but in the in-between times he hurts for money and she begrudges him that. Earlier in the series she went on about how much money she would inherit from her mother, too, so basically Aurora lives off and will live off the hard work of three other adults, but Barrett is the one who needs to grow up. Yeah, right.
The grieving was understandable but too often took on a mean tone. Okay, she was in love with Martin even though he was a jerk, but to keep thinking things to herself along the lines that her loss and her relationship were greater than someone else's (in this case, Robin) is petty. Her "decision" to be rude now was silly, because all along Aurora has been rude, it's just more pronounced now. The funniest part is when she says something really rude to another character and then gets upset when they say something rude back. She even tries to get Patricia in trouble with their boss, but he sided with Patricia and Aurora tries to pull the seniority card, which is a joke because she quit the job for a few years in the middle and she's so unreliable to work.
One more book to go.
The story begins with a movie crew coming to town to film a 2-part miniseries based on the book by Robin Crusoe about the serial murders from the first Aurora Teagarden mystery. Aurora spends a good chunk of the book acting all angry because the townspeople are happy to have Hollywood come to town, and acting like she's the major victim here. Really? What about the families of people who were actually killed, like your friend Lizanne who lost both of her parents?!
Aurora also spends a good chunk of the book being judgmental about her stepson Barrett because he didn't like her and he lived off money from his father. This coming from a woman who in the first book was living free in a property owned by her mother, who worked part-time at a library and quit that job as soon as she got a minor inheritance from a friend, even though it was clear she would have to go back to work in a couple years and since she wasn't going to move out of Lawrenceton and she wasn't going to work in realty, it was obvious she'd have to go back to the library... part-time. This coming from the woman who then ended up marrying that Martin guy who was so rich but other than sex they really had nothing in common. And then she goes back to work at the library because she's bored, and her marriage was pretty unhappy no matter how she tried to paint it after his death. When she's a widow she's living off the money her husband and that friend left her and working part-time at the library but missing work all the time. Whereas Barrett does try to get as many roles as he can, but in the in-between times he hurts for money and she begrudges him that. Earlier in the series she went on about how much money she would inherit from her mother, too, so basically Aurora lives off and will live off the hard work of three other adults, but Barrett is the one who needs to grow up. Yeah, right.
The grieving was understandable but too often took on a mean tone. Okay, she was in love with Martin even though he was a jerk, but to keep thinking things to herself along the lines that her loss and her relationship were greater than someone else's (in this case, Robin) is petty. Her "decision" to be rude now was silly, because all along Aurora has been rude, it's just more pronounced now. The funniest part is when she says something really rude to another character and then gets upset when they say something rude back. She even tries to get Patricia in trouble with their boss, but he sided with Patricia and Aurora tries to pull the seniority card, which is a joke because she quit the job for a few years in the middle and she's so unreliable to work.
One more book to go.
December 9, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Audiobook
Book #7 in the Aurora Teagarden series. I took a break from this series for awhile because the last few books were so terrible, but I’m happy to say that this one was more like the series I fell in love with. Maybe she had a ghost writer for a few books?!
Book #7 in the Aurora Teagarden series. I took a break from this series for awhile because the last few books were so terrible, but I’m happy to say that this one was more like the series I fell in love with. Maybe she had a ghost writer for a few books?!
May 28, 2018
I liked this one but it's a bit more dreary due to Roe's recent loss. Hopefully the next one is better because I really enjoy this series.
March 1, 2021
I hadn't been really planning to continue with this series right now, but some how I found myself pushing the ‘place hold' button on the library website. A little act of rebellion, even if it was just against my own reading plans. Maybe because it felt like a defiant act, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I find Charlaine Harris' books to be rather comforting, dealing with small communities as she does. Once a small town girl, always a small town girl, I guess. I also like the way she structures her mysteries. She's fair with the clues, but also manages to fool me frequently. That's more fun than being able to easily identify the murderer. Plus, Aurora is a young woman and her romantic life is obviously going to be a central concern in her life. Harris writes believable relationship complications and knows how gals from small, somewhat religious towns feel about these issues. I do have to smile a bit about how many guys seem to be hovering, interested in the main character. It reminds me of her Sookie Stackhouse novels, where the men are tripping over each other to get Sookie's attention. This must be a plot device that Harris enjoys.
The end of the last novel was pretty rough on Aurora. The way Harris writes it, I assume she is familiar with loss and grief. It was lovely to watch Roe start to come back to life a bit, realizing that she has been merely existing. I know that feeling, although my loss was different. It's so reviving, to rejoin regular life!
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
I find Charlaine Harris' books to be rather comforting, dealing with small communities as she does. Once a small town girl, always a small town girl, I guess. I also like the way she structures her mysteries. She's fair with the clues, but also manages to fool me frequently. That's more fun than being able to easily identify the murderer. Plus, Aurora is a young woman and her romantic life is obviously going to be a central concern in her life. Harris writes believable relationship complications and knows how gals from small, somewhat religious towns feel about these issues. I do have to smile a bit about how many guys seem to be hovering, interested in the main character. It reminds me of her Sookie Stackhouse novels, where the men are tripping over each other to get Sookie's attention. This must be a plot device that Harris enjoys.
The end of the last novel was pretty rough on Aurora. The way Harris writes it, I assume she is familiar with loss and grief. It was lovely to watch Roe start to come back to life a bit, realizing that she has been merely existing. I know that feeling, although my loss was different. It's so reviving, to rejoin regular life!
Cross posted at my blog:
https://wanda-thenextfifty.blogspot.c...
October 29, 2018
I have definitely been enjoying this series more as we go along. Perhaps it is also the trip down memory lane as the series starts in the 90s, so the descriptions of hair and clothes (and no mobile phones) is quite endearing.
Here we have broken into the 2000s, and Aurora's old fling has returned to town. Again, this book is around a murder, but that really becomes an aside as the character development takes hold. And that is probably what I like so much about the series.
Here we have broken into the 2000s, and Aurora's old fling has returned to town. Again, this book is around a murder, but that really becomes an aside as the character development takes hold. And that is probably what I like so much about the series.
July 2, 2018
This was a typical Aurora Teagarden mystery. It was entertaining and a quick read.
The things wrong with it are the way it isn’t consistent. The age of the characters jumps from book to book. There was one line where the characters were interchanged.
I think I would have liked it better if someone hadn’t wrote in the book and underlined for the clues of who done it. I had a library copy. I believe if you check out a book it shouldn’t be marked in.
The things wrong with it are the way it isn’t consistent. The age of the characters jumps from book to book. There was one line where the characters were interchanged.
I think I would have liked it better if someone hadn’t wrote in the book and underlined for the clues of who done it. I had a library copy. I believe if you check out a book it shouldn’t be marked in.
January 3, 2018
I wanted to read this book before watching the TV movie. Although I have read other Aurora Teagarden mysteries I have not necessarily read them in order and with this one I realized the importance of reading them in order to get Aurora's history and the history of the town.
This one reflects back to the first in the series. The story of the first murder mystery Aurora solves is brought back when it is being made into a movie and the movie people come to town.
One of the things I like about A.T. is that it's never just involved with Aurora solving a murder. This one has a set of complex situation including renewing an old romance for Aurora. Aurora's stepson is involved and a renewing of an old romance.
This one reflects back to the first in the series. The story of the first murder mystery Aurora solves is brought back when it is being made into a movie and the movie people come to town.
One of the things I like about A.T. is that it's never just involved with Aurora solving a murder. This one has a set of complex situation including renewing an old romance for Aurora. Aurora's stepson is involved and a renewing of an old romance.
December 11, 2019
This episode in Aurora Teagarden's life takes us back to the very first murder that Aurora solved. The story is being made into a film and Aurora has misgivings about the whole thing. To make matters worse the screenplay has been written by Aurora's ex-boyfriend from before she was married and her late husband's obnoxious son Barrett is playing a leading role in the film. Barrett has a chip on his shoulder and behaves like a spoilt child (which he was). Also, the leading actress is Celia Shaw who recently had a relationship with Robin. Celia is a catty, self-important diva and everyone is tiptoeing around trying not to upset her. Robin has a super-fan Tracy who follows him round like a puppy and Patricia Bledsoe who works with Aurora at the library is extremely possessive with her boss and huffy with her colleagues.
Aurora has to be very careful when someone is murdered, she must try and find out the truth without becoming the next victim of the killer.
A good mystery and very pleasant read.
Aurora has to be very careful when someone is murdered, she must try and find out the truth without becoming the next victim of the killer.
A good mystery and very pleasant read.
June 9, 2009
With book 7, Charlaine Harris brings Aurora back around full circle. She's single, she's entrenched in the movie version of the events that started the series, and lo and behold, Robin Crusoe is back on the scene. But although there are many similarities between Roe then and Roe now, we're keenly aware of how much she's changed. By her own admission, she's a kick butt rich widow who's not afraid to be blunt and more than a little eccentric.
As always, one thing never changes: Roe is a mini murder magnet. Trouble seems to follow her no matter what. But Harris' depiction of this spitfire southern belle and her exploits is always fresh and exciting, and the humor is delightful. Roe is only one of a whimsical cast of characters who are charming yet baffling. It's a wonderful series and I'm looking forward to reading Poppy Done to Death.
As always, one thing never changes: Roe is a mini murder magnet. Trouble seems to follow her no matter what. But Harris' depiction of this spitfire southern belle and her exploits is always fresh and exciting, and the humor is delightful. Roe is only one of a whimsical cast of characters who are charming yet baffling. It's a wonderful series and I'm looking forward to reading Poppy Done to Death.
October 23, 2014
The last one available at this time, it's better than the rest, but I wouldn't suggest reading them out of order. You can, but there is a lot of history to catch up on. She did much better at creating a mystery & not just one, yet still kept the same style. It's not quite the same kind of candy book as the first of the series & certainly showed her maturing as a writer. It's still light & engaging, a fun read with no pretensions to be anything else. A good mystery with a bit more romance, no explicit sex & a twisty plot.
May 2, 2020
3’5/5 en realidad.
La historia sigue siendo igual de adictiva que el resto de las de la serie, pero no se lleva las cuatro estrellas porque el final es muy precipitado en cuanto a la narración del mismo. Es como si la autora llevara prisa por acabar el libro y quisiera hacer un capítulo más detallado.
Por lo demás, volvemos a conectar con Roe, sus líos amorosos y ese imán que tiene para verse involucrada en los crímenes que suceden en Lawrenceton.
La historia sigue siendo igual de adictiva que el resto de las de la serie, pero no se lleva las cuatro estrellas porque el final es muy precipitado en cuanto a la narración del mismo. Es como si la autora llevara prisa por acabar el libro y quisiera hacer un capítulo más detallado.
Por lo demás, volvemos a conectar con Roe, sus líos amorosos y ese imán que tiene para verse involucrada en los crímenes que suceden en Lawrenceton.
June 8, 2023
Disfruto mucho con estas novelinas de domestic noir. No son nada del otro jueves, pero me lo paso bien con ellas.
March 20, 2020
RATING: 3 STARS
In Last Scene Alive, we revisit the case from book one Real Murders, and Roe's ex, Robin. Robin's book is being made into a TV movie and he's in town for the filming. His girlfriend, and star of the movie, is playing the character based on Roe. When she is found murdered, people wonder if it's because they were after Roe. While I am glad Robin is back, or rather he is here instead of Martin, this book seemed out of place. It seemed like a way to reintroduce Robin, and oh, let's throw in a mystery. I was kind of hoping Roe would get back with Arthur, but I think that's because I like the Hallmark version of Arthur than the Arthur in this book.
In Last Scene Alive, we revisit the case from book one Real Murders, and Roe's ex, Robin. Robin's book is being made into a TV movie and he's in town for the filming. His girlfriend, and star of the movie, is playing the character based on Roe. When she is found murdered, people wonder if it's because they were after Roe. While I am glad Robin is back, or rather he is here instead of Martin, this book seemed out of place. It seemed like a way to reintroduce Robin, and oh, let's throw in a mystery. I was kind of hoping Roe would get back with Arthur, but I think that's because I like the Hallmark version of Arthur than the Arthur in this book.
May 10, 2014
Quick read which I found by chance in the library. Read the previous books in the series and what I like is that Aurora's life isn't perfect, and she doesn't make ridiculous leaps of reasoning when solving a crime. Often it's a chance encounter or a conversation, or in some cases a blow on the head.
September 10, 2010
I read this just to finish the series. I had been buying the books, but I stopped with this one because I didn't want to waste anymore money on them. In fact, I've given them all away to a friend. Roe is one of my least favorite Charlaine Harris characters ever. This series is subpar.
February 15, 2023
Volver a Lawrencetown es como volver al hogar...
Una nueva entrega de Aurora Teagarden que me entretiene, me hace reír, llorar y me enternece por partes iguales.
Ya estamos llegando al final de la saga y no sé cómo me voy a tomar que esto se acabe.
Una nueva entrega de Aurora Teagarden que me entretiene, me hace reír, llorar y me enternece por partes iguales.
Ya estamos llegando al final de la saga y no sé cómo me voy a tomar que esto se acabe.
January 25, 2010
Aurora Teagarden's past is back to haunt her, and this time it is preparing to go onto the small screen. Roe's first opportunity to deal with murder first-hand was when she was in the Real Murders group, a number of local residents of Lawrenceton, Georgia, with an interest in true crime. Things got a little out of hand when certain members decided to make true crime something more to read about. Those adventures made up the first book in this series, Real Murders.
Robin Crusoe, famed author and one-time boyfriend, helped in solving the crime as well as took an opportunity to write a bestselling book based on the events. Roe was less than pleased with the latter part, and is now going to be confronted not only with past events, but her ex-boyfriend, and she is not sure if she is ready for that even with her new status as a widow. In fact, she is still heavily grieving the loss of Martin in the last year.
Crusoe's book has been picked up to be made into a two-part television mini-series, and it is going to be filmed in Lawrenceton. To make things even more interesting, his new girlfriend Celia Shaw, a recent Emmy winner, will be taking on Roe's role. To make things even more difficult, Roe's stepson Barrett, who has never had a close relationship with her, also has a role in the movie.
Despite the fact that the film is based on some really rough times for the community, the whole town is caught up in celebrity fever, and they are hoping that Roe's connections will help them get on the set and meet stars. Before she knows it (and despite her best intentions), Roe finds herself on the set and mingling with those working there. Celia even tries to arrange a dinner with her so she can get a better sense of how to play Roe.
Things take a surprising turn when Barrett returns to visit Celia in her trailer after having a night of bliss with her. Upon entering, he finds her body on the floor with a clear head wound ... her Emmy had literally gone to her head.
The detective assigned to the case is Arthur Smith, another of Roe's old flame. He seems more than willing to put the past behind them, which is probably easier since he is the one who cheated on her, as he focuses on the case. It does not take long for him to start pulling clues together, but not before Roe gets a threatening letter herself.
As Roe is being forced to confront the past, both she and Robin find old feelings returning. Unfortunately, it is going to take everything in the repertoire to figure out who murdered Celia if they are going to find happiness together.
Harris definitely has no trouble with throwing red herrings in on this case as the reader is often misdirected as to the real killer's identity. In most cases, the distractions are tied to interesting subplots, and they help move the action along. It does take a while for the body to turn up, but once it does the reader needs to be ready for a quick-paced ride to the end.
I was a little disappointed to find that Aurora comes across bitter in the book. She sees so many people around her as being unhappy and persnickety. In the process, she ends up being the same. I figure I should give her a break, though, since she is still having a really rough time with Martin's death in the previous book. This was another great adventure for my favorite librarian detective.
Robin Crusoe, famed author and one-time boyfriend, helped in solving the crime as well as took an opportunity to write a bestselling book based on the events. Roe was less than pleased with the latter part, and is now going to be confronted not only with past events, but her ex-boyfriend, and she is not sure if she is ready for that even with her new status as a widow. In fact, she is still heavily grieving the loss of Martin in the last year.
Crusoe's book has been picked up to be made into a two-part television mini-series, and it is going to be filmed in Lawrenceton. To make things even more interesting, his new girlfriend Celia Shaw, a recent Emmy winner, will be taking on Roe's role. To make things even more difficult, Roe's stepson Barrett, who has never had a close relationship with her, also has a role in the movie.
Despite the fact that the film is based on some really rough times for the community, the whole town is caught up in celebrity fever, and they are hoping that Roe's connections will help them get on the set and meet stars. Before she knows it (and despite her best intentions), Roe finds herself on the set and mingling with those working there. Celia even tries to arrange a dinner with her so she can get a better sense of how to play Roe.
Things take a surprising turn when Barrett returns to visit Celia in her trailer after having a night of bliss with her. Upon entering, he finds her body on the floor with a clear head wound ... her Emmy had literally gone to her head.
The detective assigned to the case is Arthur Smith, another of Roe's old flame. He seems more than willing to put the past behind them, which is probably easier since he is the one who cheated on her, as he focuses on the case. It does not take long for him to start pulling clues together, but not before Roe gets a threatening letter herself.
As Roe is being forced to confront the past, both she and Robin find old feelings returning. Unfortunately, it is going to take everything in the repertoire to figure out who murdered Celia if they are going to find happiness together.
Harris definitely has no trouble with throwing red herrings in on this case as the reader is often misdirected as to the real killer's identity. In most cases, the distractions are tied to interesting subplots, and they help move the action along. It does take a while for the body to turn up, but once it does the reader needs to be ready for a quick-paced ride to the end.
I was a little disappointed to find that Aurora comes across bitter in the book. She sees so many people around her as being unhappy and persnickety. In the process, she ends up being the same. I figure I should give her a break, though, since she is still having a really rough time with Martin's death in the previous book. This was another great adventure for my favorite librarian detective.
March 16, 2014
Tras el dramático final del anterior libro de la saga estaba deseando leer más de mi carismática Roe. Estaba intrigada sobre todo por el camino por la que la llevaría la escritora y como haría que afrontase cada uno de los obstáculos puestos en medio tras la tragedia...
En este séptima entrega los habitantes de la localidad de Lawrenceton se ven obligados a revivir los asesinatos llevados a cabo en el primer libro "Unos asesinatos muy reales" ya que el caótico y excéntrico mundo de Hollywood decide empezar a grabar una película basada en el libro escrito por Robin Crusoe, ex-novio de Roe. Es por ello que el pueblo, en su gran medida, acoge con ilusión el glamour y la fama y se preparan para ser el centro de las miradas durante un tiempo.
Y es con este panorama con el que se encuentra Roe, que de rebote acaba conociendo el reparto pese a que lo único que desea ahora mismo es estar sola y lidiar con sus penas para avanzar.
Es así como poco a poco aunque a tropezones Roe va retomando el contacto con Robin que había desaparecido engullido por el dinero y la fama huyendo del "pacífico" pueblo.
Todo se complica al cabo de unos días al encontrar muerta a Celia Shaw, protagonista de la película que hacía de Roe. ¿Cuáles serían los motivos de este asesinato?¿Querría alguien ver muerta a Celia o el simplemente hecho de que haga el papel de Roe ha enardecido a alguien hasta tal punto de matar?
En esta nueva entrega parece que la autora ha querido cambiar un poco la forma en la que involucraba a Roe en los crímenes hasta ahora para dar más importancia a su evolución emocional y sentimental ya que así lo requería el seguimiento de la saga. Esto por un lado está muy bien ya que he disfrutado de el debate interno que llevaba muchas veces en su cabeza y las deciones que tomaba finalmente pero por otro me gustaría que la trama del asesinato se hubiese extendido un poco más y la hubiese arrollado como en otras entregas. Además, se ha introducido como una historia, con otro personaje del pueblo, que se ha ido desarrollando en paralelo con el asesinato que me ha llegado incluso a sobrar.
Cabe destacar que el desenlace mezclado con el misterio e intriga del descubrimiento del asesinato y los métodos utilizados en él me ha parecido más complejo de lo que suele hacer Charlaine para este tipo de género y la verdad es que me ha gustado mucho. Al igual que en los libros anteriores, Charlaine ha sabido crear un asesinato original para disfrutar.
En resumen "Muerta y... ¡acción!" es el séptimo libro de la saga de Aurora Teagarden. No es el mejor de todos pero su lectura ha sido muy llevadera, rápida y entrenida. El misterio se ha cocinado bien y se ha servido con más intriga de lo normal pese a no involucrar como venía siendo habitual de lleno en la investigación a Roe.
Lo mejor: la evolución emocional y sentimental de Roe.
Lo peor: una historia paralela, que aunque no tiene mucho bombo, me sobra.
En este séptima entrega los habitantes de la localidad de Lawrenceton se ven obligados a revivir los asesinatos llevados a cabo en el primer libro "Unos asesinatos muy reales" ya que el caótico y excéntrico mundo de Hollywood decide empezar a grabar una película basada en el libro escrito por Robin Crusoe, ex-novio de Roe. Es por ello que el pueblo, en su gran medida, acoge con ilusión el glamour y la fama y se preparan para ser el centro de las miradas durante un tiempo.
Y es con este panorama con el que se encuentra Roe, que de rebote acaba conociendo el reparto pese a que lo único que desea ahora mismo es estar sola y lidiar con sus penas para avanzar.
Es así como poco a poco aunque a tropezones Roe va retomando el contacto con Robin que había desaparecido engullido por el dinero y la fama huyendo del "pacífico" pueblo.
Todo se complica al cabo de unos días al encontrar muerta a Celia Shaw, protagonista de la película que hacía de Roe. ¿Cuáles serían los motivos de este asesinato?¿Querría alguien ver muerta a Celia o el simplemente hecho de que haga el papel de Roe ha enardecido a alguien hasta tal punto de matar?
En esta nueva entrega parece que la autora ha querido cambiar un poco la forma en la que involucraba a Roe en los crímenes hasta ahora para dar más importancia a su evolución emocional y sentimental ya que así lo requería el seguimiento de la saga. Esto por un lado está muy bien ya que he disfrutado de el debate interno que llevaba muchas veces en su cabeza y las deciones que tomaba finalmente pero por otro me gustaría que la trama del asesinato se hubiese extendido un poco más y la hubiese arrollado como en otras entregas. Además, se ha introducido como una historia, con otro personaje del pueblo, que se ha ido desarrollando en paralelo con el asesinato que me ha llegado incluso a sobrar.
Cabe destacar que el desenlace mezclado con el misterio e intriga del descubrimiento del asesinato y los métodos utilizados en él me ha parecido más complejo de lo que suele hacer Charlaine para este tipo de género y la verdad es que me ha gustado mucho. Al igual que en los libros anteriores, Charlaine ha sabido crear un asesinato original para disfrutar.
En resumen "Muerta y... ¡acción!" es el séptimo libro de la saga de Aurora Teagarden. No es el mejor de todos pero su lectura ha sido muy llevadera, rápida y entrenida. El misterio se ha cocinado bien y se ha servido con más intriga de lo normal pese a no involucrar como venía siendo habitual de lleno en la investigación a Roe.
Lo mejor: la evolución emocional y sentimental de Roe.
Lo peor: una historia paralela, que aunque no tiene mucho bombo, me sobra.
May 29, 2009
Aurora is now widowed for almost a year. She is sad but ready to move on with her life. Suddenly, her long-gone love interest Robin Crusoe shows up in Lawrenceton for the filming of TV series based on his book about the murders narrated in the first Aurora Teagarden mystery "Real Murders." Martin's son Barrett appears in Roe's life too as he has a small role in the series. Filming goes on as scheduled; our heroine gets a taste of Hollywood; everything is exciting. That is until an actress who plays Aurora is found dead in her movie set trailer. Needless to say, Roe is destined to solve this mystery.
I liked this book as much as (or maybe more than) the previous Aurora Teagarden mystery. I felt a new life was poured into our heroine. I enjoyed seeing her come back to her funny and cheerful self and fall in love again. It was quite a pleasure to read.
I liked this book as much as (or maybe more than) the previous Aurora Teagarden mystery. I felt a new life was poured into our heroine. I enjoyed seeing her come back to her funny and cheerful self and fall in love again. It was quite a pleasure to read.
January 16, 2019
Things are really turning around for this series now that Aurora's husband Martin has died. This felt much more like a typical cozy mystery and the re-introduction of Robin Crusoe into the series was most welcome. There was a bit more sexual content in this book than I was expecting, which made listening to the audiobook a little bit uncomfortable, but otherwise, this was nearly as good as the first two books of the series and worlds better than books 4 and 5, which is where things took a big turn for the worse. I own the remaining books of the series for Kindle, and I'm looking forward to finishing the series in 2019.
November 1, 2012
Maybe if I'd started with the first one of this series I would have liked this one, but it was definitely a disappointment. The main character is rather pathetic, constantly talking about her "independence" while turning to various men in her life and being rescued by other women. The mystery isn't terribly mysterious, even with multiple killers/plots. This one just isn't my cup of tea.
March 8, 2020
Another page turner. I love this series! Its quick to read, easy to follow and makes you want to finish. If you have not read any other books in the series, this can take a minute to orient yourself. There are events and characters from the previous books in this book. Looking forward to the next one!
August 25, 2018
Robin is back! Yay! Although I could have done without the semi-redo of the obsessive would-be killer. Still new spin and all made it worth listening to. I love the narrator and Aurora is really growing on me with each book. I can't wait to see what happens next at this point.
September 29, 2015
Review soon
February 7, 2021
A not so great book with few surprises and a predictable plotline. This is about the end of this series & not very remarkable.
March 13, 2017
I liked this one better than the last one (A Fool and his Honey)
November 7, 2018
Not my favourite by a long chalk.
I found the plot pedestrian and it seemed to just plod along with very little spark. Hoping for better from the next book.
I found the plot pedestrian and it seemed to just plod along with very little spark. Hoping for better from the next book.
April 19, 2024
Seventh in the Aurora Teagarden amateur sleuth cozy mystery series and revolving around a small town librarian in Lawrenceton, Georgia. The focus is on the movie being filmed in Laurenceton.
My Take
It’s exciting and sad at the same time, as actors and movie hands converge on Lawrenceton and Roe considers both the awful trauma of that first set of murders and the weight of her grief over Martin’s death.
It’s not the only revelation Aurora has, as she considers how she’s avoided examining her life, if she resents being the Top Dog in town, her beloved house, Sam’s faith in her, Roe’s, ahem, revelation about Sam and Patricia, and all from first person protagonist point-of-view.
Robin has his own revelations about himself, L.A., and Roe. Poor Robin. He so wants Roe to approve, to watch the movie being filmed, and yet he’s treated so poorly on the set. He also relates all his book-movie issues in getting the book made into a movie. Oy.
There’s character-driven action with a lot of thinking going on, secrets coming out, and a contrast in compassions.
The town is split between those who welcome the movie people, those who don’t want it, and then there are those who are finding the benefits of it. Father Scott is rather embarrassed about his benefits!
Looks like Roe was right to be annoyed, especially after that dinner with Celia and her entourage. Talk about an ambush! She’s so put off by the movie people, although later on she’s got some fantasy going on about starring in the movie.
It’s a good question. Why does the movie need a stuntwoman?
That Barrett. I wish Martin were still alive to pound him.
Ooh, you know that old saw about not having a significant other teach you how to drive? It seems to apply to house hunting as well.
The Story
Robin Crusoe’s story about the murders in Real Murders , 1, Whimsical Murders, is being made into a film — in Lawrenceton, Georgia, and everyone is all a’flutter.
Then there’s murder on the set. Three different ways to death.
The Characters
Aurora "Roe" Teagarden is a widowed librarian who still lives in the Julius house ( The Julius House , 4). Her current maid is Catherine Quick. Fat Madeleine still hates going to the vet, who hate her visits in return ( A Bone to Pick , 2). Martin Bartell, Aurora’s deceased husband, had been the head of the Pan-Am Agra plant. Phillip is Roe’s half-brother. Roe’s father, had been a real jerk.
Barrett Bartell is Martin’s jerk of a son whose acting career has/had been subsidized by his father. Cindy, Martin’s ex-wife and Barrett’s mother, owns a florist shop and has a partner, Dennis. Barby is Martin’s sister; Regina is her idiot daughter ( A Fool and His Honey , 6).
Aida Queensland, Aurora’s mother, owns Select Realty and is thinking of retirement. John Queensland is Aida’s husband, who has recently had a heart attack. The traditional Avery, an accountant, and the wilder John David are John’s sons. Melinda is Avery’s wife, and they have two children, Charles and Marcy. Poppy is John David’s wife and had also been (and still is) a wild child. Brandon Chase is their baby son. Eileen Norris had been an agent at Select Realty along with Patty Cloud, who is now a partner. Russell & Dietrich is a rival realty company.
Robin Crusoe is a well-known mystery writer we first met in Real Murders . His father died a little while ago, and his mother is struggling.
Lawrenceton, Georgia, is . . .
. . . where Aurora lives and works at the Lawrenceton Library. Co-workers include Perry Allison, who seems to finally be on an even keel; Lindsey Russell, the new children’s librarian; and, Lillian Schmidt, a self-centered fundamentalist Christian. Sam Clerrick is their boss, brilliant with the budget and administration but horrible with people. His part-time secretary, the chilly, off-putting Patricia Bledsoe, is incredibly efficient. Jerome is her teen-age son whom she keeps on a short leash. Janie Finstermeyer’s son, Josh, has way too many overdue books. Mr Harmon comes in to read the paper every morning.
The direct Angel and Shelby Youngblood (he’s a former Vietnam vet) have had a baby; Joan is nearly a year old now. Shelby, Martin’s close friend, still works at Pan-Agra. Clement Farmer is one of Roe’s neighbors and has barking dog, Robert. Father Aubrey Scott is the Episcopal minister; he’s married to Emily and has adopted her daughter, Elizabeth. Sally Allison (Perry’s mom) is a journalist who works for the local paper, the Sentinel , and is a friend of Roe’s. Nadine Gortner. Amina Day is Aurora’s best friend now married to Hugh with a two-year-old Megan and living in Dallas. Great Day, a clothing store in town, is owned by Miss Joe Nell, Amina’s mother. Mignon Derby is Joe Nell’s new partner — and the reason clothing choices have improved. I think Teal owns the Crafts Consortium. Beef ’N More is a popular restaurant. Trixie’s is a pizza place. David and Laurie Martinez own a house Roe remembers from her childhood, when Debbie had lived there, the girl whose brother had made Roe’s heart throb. Their neighbors are the retired Cohens on one side and the widowed Herman sisters on the other. Cartland “Bubba” Sewell, the state representative for the county, is married to Lizanne, Roe’s friend. They have two boys: Brandon and Davis.
The movie . . !
. . . Whimsical Death will be a two-part made-for-TV movie. Celia Shaw will play the Teagarden character; she’s been dating Robin. Linda Shaw, a minor actress, had been Celia’s irresponsible mother. Chip Brodnax will play Robin. Barrett will be playing Bankston Waites. Meredith Askew is Starlet Two.
Joel Park Brooks, the director, is renting Dr Pincus “Pinky” Zelman’s house. Mark Chesney is Brooks’ assistant. Will Weir is the head cameraman. Jessie Bruckner is the producer. Sarah Feathers seems to be a sub-assistant director. Super-fan Tracy works for Molly’s Moveable Feasts, who is the caterer for the set. Caroline Venice is one of the makeup artists and a friend of Angel’s.
Spalding County Law Enforcement Complex,
. . . a.k.a. “Spacolec", is control central for the police station, small claims court, the county sheriff's office, and the jail. The jerky Detective Arthur Smith still carries a torch for Roe. He is divorced from Detective Lynn Liggett who has custody of their six-year-old girl, Lorna. A new young patrolwoman, Susan Crawford, would love to meet Roe. Davis Coffey is the new sheriff, replacing Padgett Lanier. His officers include Jimmy Henske and Levon Suit, who tsk-tsk along with the sheriff and wink at Roe when he can’t see them.
Marjory Bolton is a writer for an entertainment magazine. Heavenly Barbecue is a restaurant in Atlanta where Smoky is the obsequious manager. Carl Sonnheim is another mystery writer. The bomb makers were Joanne Cheney, Ralph “Coco” Defarge, Anita Defarge, Maxwell Brand, and Barbara “Africa” Paley.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a view out the screen door with its beautiful scrollwork at the top of the door frame, looking out over fields. In the center is an overly large camera lens staring right at us with the series info in white, tiny at the top of the lens. The title is a faded red outlined in white following the upper curve of the camera lens. The author’s name, in white, is at the bottom under the lens. Below that is a testimonial, also in white.
The title is a play on that last scene, in which the victim is Last Scene Alive.
My Take
It’s exciting and sad at the same time, as actors and movie hands converge on Lawrenceton and Roe considers both the awful trauma of that first set of murders and the weight of her grief over Martin’s death.
It’s not the only revelation Aurora has, as she considers how she’s avoided examining her life, if she resents being the Top Dog in town, her beloved house, Sam’s faith in her, Roe’s, ahem, revelation about Sam and Patricia, and all from first person protagonist point-of-view.
Robin has his own revelations about himself, L.A., and Roe. Poor Robin. He so wants Roe to approve, to watch the movie being filmed, and yet he’s treated so poorly on the set. He also relates all his book-movie issues in getting the book made into a movie. Oy.
There’s character-driven action with a lot of thinking going on, secrets coming out, and a contrast in compassions.
The town is split between those who welcome the movie people, those who don’t want it, and then there are those who are finding the benefits of it. Father Scott is rather embarrassed about his benefits!
Looks like Roe was right to be annoyed, especially after that dinner with Celia and her entourage. Talk about an ambush! She’s so put off by the movie people, although later on she’s got some fantasy going on about starring in the movie.
It’s a good question. Why does the movie need a stuntwoman?
That Barrett. I wish Martin were still alive to pound him.
Ooh, you know that old saw about not having a significant other teach you how to drive? It seems to apply to house hunting as well.
The Story
Robin Crusoe’s story about the murders in Real Murders , 1, Whimsical Murders, is being made into a film — in Lawrenceton, Georgia, and everyone is all a’flutter.
Then there’s murder on the set. Three different ways to death.
The Characters
Aurora "Roe" Teagarden is a widowed librarian who still lives in the Julius house ( The Julius House , 4). Her current maid is Catherine Quick. Fat Madeleine still hates going to the vet, who hate her visits in return ( A Bone to Pick , 2). Martin Bartell, Aurora’s deceased husband, had been the head of the Pan-Am Agra plant. Phillip is Roe’s half-brother. Roe’s father, had been a real jerk.
Barrett Bartell is Martin’s jerk of a son whose acting career has/had been subsidized by his father. Cindy, Martin’s ex-wife and Barrett’s mother, owns a florist shop and has a partner, Dennis. Barby is Martin’s sister; Regina is her idiot daughter ( A Fool and His Honey , 6).
Aida Queensland, Aurora’s mother, owns Select Realty and is thinking of retirement. John Queensland is Aida’s husband, who has recently had a heart attack. The traditional Avery, an accountant, and the wilder John David are John’s sons. Melinda is Avery’s wife, and they have two children, Charles and Marcy. Poppy is John David’s wife and had also been (and still is) a wild child. Brandon Chase is their baby son. Eileen Norris had been an agent at Select Realty along with Patty Cloud, who is now a partner. Russell & Dietrich is a rival realty company.
Robin Crusoe is a well-known mystery writer we first met in Real Murders . His father died a little while ago, and his mother is struggling.
Lawrenceton, Georgia, is . . .
. . . where Aurora lives and works at the Lawrenceton Library. Co-workers include Perry Allison, who seems to finally be on an even keel; Lindsey Russell, the new children’s librarian; and, Lillian Schmidt, a self-centered fundamentalist Christian. Sam Clerrick is their boss, brilliant with the budget and administration but horrible with people. His part-time secretary, the chilly, off-putting Patricia Bledsoe, is incredibly efficient. Jerome is her teen-age son whom she keeps on a short leash. Janie Finstermeyer’s son, Josh, has way too many overdue books. Mr Harmon comes in to read the paper every morning.
The direct Angel and Shelby Youngblood (he’s a former Vietnam vet) have had a baby; Joan is nearly a year old now. Shelby, Martin’s close friend, still works at Pan-Agra. Clement Farmer is one of Roe’s neighbors and has barking dog, Robert. Father Aubrey Scott is the Episcopal minister; he’s married to Emily and has adopted her daughter, Elizabeth. Sally Allison (Perry’s mom) is a journalist who works for the local paper, the Sentinel , and is a friend of Roe’s. Nadine Gortner. Amina Day is Aurora’s best friend now married to Hugh with a two-year-old Megan and living in Dallas. Great Day, a clothing store in town, is owned by Miss Joe Nell, Amina’s mother. Mignon Derby is Joe Nell’s new partner — and the reason clothing choices have improved. I think Teal owns the Crafts Consortium. Beef ’N More is a popular restaurant. Trixie’s is a pizza place. David and Laurie Martinez own a house Roe remembers from her childhood, when Debbie had lived there, the girl whose brother had made Roe’s heart throb. Their neighbors are the retired Cohens on one side and the widowed Herman sisters on the other. Cartland “Bubba” Sewell, the state representative for the county, is married to Lizanne, Roe’s friend. They have two boys: Brandon and Davis.
The movie . . !
. . . Whimsical Death will be a two-part made-for-TV movie. Celia Shaw will play the Teagarden character; she’s been dating Robin. Linda Shaw, a minor actress, had been Celia’s irresponsible mother. Chip Brodnax will play Robin. Barrett will be playing Bankston Waites. Meredith Askew is Starlet Two.
Joel Park Brooks, the director, is renting Dr Pincus “Pinky” Zelman’s house. Mark Chesney is Brooks’ assistant. Will Weir is the head cameraman. Jessie Bruckner is the producer. Sarah Feathers seems to be a sub-assistant director. Super-fan Tracy works for Molly’s Moveable Feasts, who is the caterer for the set. Caroline Venice is one of the makeup artists and a friend of Angel’s.
Spalding County Law Enforcement Complex,
. . . a.k.a. “Spacolec", is control central for the police station, small claims court, the county sheriff's office, and the jail. The jerky Detective Arthur Smith still carries a torch for Roe. He is divorced from Detective Lynn Liggett who has custody of their six-year-old girl, Lorna. A new young patrolwoman, Susan Crawford, would love to meet Roe. Davis Coffey is the new sheriff, replacing Padgett Lanier. His officers include Jimmy Henske and Levon Suit, who tsk-tsk along with the sheriff and wink at Roe when he can’t see them.
Marjory Bolton is a writer for an entertainment magazine. Heavenly Barbecue is a restaurant in Atlanta where Smoky is the obsequious manager. Carl Sonnheim is another mystery writer. The bomb makers were Joanne Cheney, Ralph “Coco” Defarge, Anita Defarge, Maxwell Brand, and Barbara “Africa” Paley.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a view out the screen door with its beautiful scrollwork at the top of the door frame, looking out over fields. In the center is an overly large camera lens staring right at us with the series info in white, tiny at the top of the lens. The title is a faded red outlined in white following the upper curve of the camera lens. The author’s name, in white, is at the bottom under the lens. Below that is a testimonial, also in white.
The title is a play on that last scene, in which the victim is Last Scene Alive.
July 16, 2019
7th book of this series read, only three more to go!
I actually ended up quite enjoying this one. I was very nearly ready to quit the series and the last two have been a bit average. I tell myself the series was first published 30 years ago and I can’t really hold to it modern standards. And those covers are awful! Also it’s Charlaine Harris’ first series, and I know she’s improved with time as the Lily Bard and Harper Connelly series are both 5 star reads for me.
I was looking through Charlaine’s bibliography and was shocked to see that this book was published 12 years after book one. I then came to realize that she had stopped this series to write the entire Lily Bard series and even two books from the Sookie Stackhouse series. This gave me hope that perhaps this book would be better as the author had more writing experience. And I think you can tell. Normally these books are mostly about the murder mystery but this one it really took a backseat to Auroras character development. I really do like her as a character and she’s changed, especially after the trauma from the last book. She’s more testy and I like seeing that she’s not tolerating bullshit anymore.
The mystery itself was a typical Cozy Mystery. I did pick who did it, but this is now the 32nd book by Charlaine Harris I’ve read and I know all her tricks by now. As always I like how she ties everything up in a bow.
If you’re reading this and wondering if you should persevere in this long series, I encourage you to, and you might just find yourself pleasantly surprised, as I did.
I actually ended up quite enjoying this one. I was very nearly ready to quit the series and the last two have been a bit average. I tell myself the series was first published 30 years ago and I can’t really hold to it modern standards. And those covers are awful! Also it’s Charlaine Harris’ first series, and I know she’s improved with time as the Lily Bard and Harper Connelly series are both 5 star reads for me.
I was looking through Charlaine’s bibliography and was shocked to see that this book was published 12 years after book one. I then came to realize that she had stopped this series to write the entire Lily Bard series and even two books from the Sookie Stackhouse series. This gave me hope that perhaps this book would be better as the author had more writing experience. And I think you can tell. Normally these books are mostly about the murder mystery but this one it really took a backseat to Auroras character development. I really do like her as a character and she’s changed, especially after the trauma from the last book. She’s more testy and I like seeing that she’s not tolerating bullshit anymore.
The mystery itself was a typical Cozy Mystery. I did pick who did it, but this is now the 32nd book by Charlaine Harris I’ve read and I know all her tricks by now. As always I like how she ties everything up in a bow.
If you’re reading this and wondering if you should persevere in this long series, I encourage you to, and you might just find yourself pleasantly surprised, as I did.
February 12, 2024
‘Last Scene Alive’ is book 7 in the Aurora Teagarden series by Charlaine Harris. I am fully invested in this series now. Roe's life is a mess. She can't seem to make decisions on some topics, while others she makes very quick decisions. This book introduced a new version of Roe that I am excited to see progress through more of the series.
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Aurora's past has come back to haunt her. She will never be able to escape her memories of a serial killer that terrorized her tiny town of Lawrenceton and forever changed her life. Her ex, Robin, is back in town with a movie crew to film this story. Robin wrote the TV movie's screenplay that has brought this madness into her life. Two more shocks: her stepson, Barrett, has a starring role AND the actress playing Roe is Robin's latest girlfriend.
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Roe has slowly become used to the movie people invading her life when tragedy strikes. Someone is found dead on the movie set and those Row is closest to are implicated as suspects. Add in new and renewed feelings for Robin and Roe is at a loss of what to do. Threats and irrational fans are determined to derail Roe's journey to find the killer and start her life anew. - Stephanie, Information Services Librarian
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Aurora's past has come back to haunt her. She will never be able to escape her memories of a serial killer that terrorized her tiny town of Lawrenceton and forever changed her life. Her ex, Robin, is back in town with a movie crew to film this story. Robin wrote the TV movie's screenplay that has brought this madness into her life. Two more shocks: her stepson, Barrett, has a starring role AND the actress playing Roe is Robin's latest girlfriend.
.
Roe has slowly become used to the movie people invading her life when tragedy strikes. Someone is found dead on the movie set and those Row is closest to are implicated as suspects. Add in new and renewed feelings for Robin and Roe is at a loss of what to do. Threats and irrational fans are determined to derail Roe's journey to find the killer and start her life anew. - Stephanie, Information Services Librarian
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