Murder in the Hearse Degree : A Novel

by Tim Cockey | Mystery & Thrillers |
ISBN: 0786867124 Global Overview for this book
Registered by yllus on 8/11/2004
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5 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by yllus on Wednesday, August 11, 2004
From Publishers Weekly
Those who enjoy lighthearted mysteries with screwball characters will relish Cockey's fourth outing to feature Baltimore undertaker Hitchcock Sewell. A former lover, Libby Gellman, who's left her abusive husband, Mike, asks Hitch to find Sophie Potts, her missing nanny. When Sophie turns up dead and pregnant, a supposed suicide, Hitch agrees to investigate. Hitch and his pal Pete Munger, a sometime PI, learn that Sophie was interested in ARK-the Alliance for Reason and Kindness-an amorphous religious organization. The case heats up when Hitch uncovers some puzzling connections: a friend of Sophie's, who'd accompanied her to visit ARK's shady director, Crawford Larue, is murdered; Larue's wife is having an affair with Mike; and Mike's uncle Owen, a high-powered attorney, is connected with ARK. Then Mike commits suicide. As usual, the writing is smooth and amusing: a man has muttonchop sideburns "thick enough you could hide toothpicks in them"; another has a moustache "the size of a small propeller." Fans will be glad to see such series regulars as Hitch's ex-wife, Julia; his mortuary partner, Aunt Billie; and 12-year-old mortician wannabe Darryl Sandusky. A passing parade of clients completes the offbeat cast.

Journal Entry 2 by yllus on Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Another fun romp with Hitchock! I just love this series and cannot wait to read the latest. I'll leave this one up as available, but warn anyone that wants to read it, it has been to heck and back. This one went to Puerto Rico with me and got a little wet at the pool :o) Still fun and readable, just not pretty!

Released on Thursday, December 09, 2004 at about 7:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Controlled Release in Controlled Release, Controlled Release Controlled Releases.

RELEASE NOTES:

Releasing for Book Ring, final list:

Needsun, Canada
Lpree, MD
CheriePie, MA
HallieK, TX
Enjoy!

Journal Entry 4 by NeedSun from Perth Road, Ontario Canada on Thursday, December 16, 2004
This just arrived today. I'll read it right after the one I am reading then forward it on. Yllus, thank you for organizing all of these bookrings.

Journal Entry 5 by NeedSun from Perth Road, Ontario Canada on Wednesday, January 5, 2005
This one was probably my favorite. Maybe because I took so long to read it, I could savor it. Definitely a Hitch fan and look forward to reading more of these. I will pass it on to CheriePie sometime this week.

Journal Entry 6 by NeedSun from Perth Road, Ontario Canada on Thursday, January 13, 2005
The participant list changed a little from my last journal. I forwarded this on to Lpree today. Looking forward to more about Hitch.

Journal Entry 7 by Lpree from Omaha, Nebraska USA on Thursday, January 20, 2005
This arrived in yesterday's mail. One question though - this is the third or fourth book right? The beginning of the series hasn't made it my way yet - am I going to lose anything by reading these out of order? Some series it matters and some it doesn't. Regardless, I have a few bookrings ahead of it, so it'll be a week or two before I get to this one. If I should read the other ones first, then I can go ahead and mail it on to the next person and maybe this can come back my way later? Someone let me know, please. :) I'm looking forward to reading these!

Journal Entry 8 by Lpree from Omaha, Nebraska USA on Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Well, I finally got to read this book, once the third in the series came and went. Thanks everyone for your patience. I have to say I think of the four, the third one was my favorite, but this one is pretty good too. I think I enjoyed the second two books better than the first two. Perhaps I was just getting used to the characters, but I didn't notice the humor as much in the first two. I thought this one was hilarious and certainly an entertaining story. This series would make great movies, I think...

I already have CheriePie's address and will send both the third book and this book to her sometime this week.

Again, thanks for letting me wait on this book so I could read the series in order!

** Sent media mail to CheriePie on 7/23 **

Journal Entry 9 by CheriePie from Campbell, California USA on Friday, July 29, 2005
I'm too partied out to write something original so I'm gonna just paste what I wrote when I journaled the receipt of this book's accompaniment. :b

This book and it's follow-up arrived today... well yesterday really since it's after midnight now. I've got a few rings and rays ahead of 'em. Since I'm last on the ring, and yllus knows I'm c00l with books, I may have these a bit longer than a month. Been traveling a lot this summer, plus a busy social schedule, which has impacted my reading time a little, combined with the fact that a ton of the rings and rays I'm on decided to all come in all within the last 2 months... and yes I'm talking over 10. *grin* Hope y'all are having a great summer t00!!

Journal Entry 10 by CheriePie from Campbell, California USA on Friday, July 29, 2005
Whoops! I just realized that even though I'm the last participant on The Hearse Case Scenario, I'm *not* the last participant on this ring. And it looks like HallieK, who's due to get this one after me, has read The Hearse Case... but not this one. So since I thought I'd be a little while before I could get to this one, I'm gonna send this on to her to read, then have her send it back to me so I can send them both together back to yllus when I'm done with both. :) HallieK... hmmm I think I have her address on file here, but I'll message her anyway just in case, and to make sure she's around. (will update this entry when book's on it's way.)

UPDATE 01-AUG-2005
This book is now on it's way to HallieK, with a reminder in it to return it to me when she's done. Sent on 01-Aug-2005 via Media Mail with Delivery Confirmation # 9102010521297571938369.

Journal Entry 11 by HallieK from Austin, Texas USA on Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Got this in the mail today. I cannot wait to read this one! This is certainly one of the best series I've ever read. I have a couple of other bookrings ahead of this one, but I'll get to it in a week or two. Thanks for checking out the list CheriePie and being so considerate! I'll get it back to you soon. :)

Journal Entry 12 by HallieK from Austin, Texas USA on Thursday, September 1, 2005
Another great installment of Hitch! He's just so funny. THis was a another good storyline, too. I liked Faith and I hope she's around in other books. That doesn't seem to be the way it works for Hitch, though, so I guess we'll see. Thanks for sharing yllus!

Mailing back to CheriePie!

Journal Entry 13 by CheriePie from Campbell, California USA on Tuesday, September 6, 2005
Received this back from HallieK today. I've got a couple other rings/rays ahead of it, but I've already read it's predecessor, The Hearse Case Scenario, and have been holding that here to mail both of these back to yllus together. So it may be a week or two before I start it.

I hope yllus, or someone else who wants to share, tracks down the latest Hitchcock Sewell book, Backstabber, if I don't manage to first via PaperBackSwap. Unfortunately, I've been spending so much $ on shipping books around the world between BookCrossing and PaperBackSwap, that I can't really justify and afford to be buying books other than at very discount prices anymore. :( I fear my bookworm habit will bankrupt us, not to mention taking up every available space in our house, if I don't draw the line somewhere! LOL

Journal Entry 14 by CheriePie from Campbell, California USA on Monday, September 19, 2005
For some reason, not quite the gut buster for me as his previous 3 novels in the Hitchcock Sewell series. In this one, Hitch is his usual satirical self, and attempts to piece together the pieces of a murdered nanny for an old friend who's back in town. I think perhaps it's Pete's character, and his denial in facing up to the problems in his marriage that bugged me a bit more than it did in the previous book where Pete was first introduced. Beyond that however, the writing is sharp and snappy, and Hitch's character, though he has hard time being serious about anything, manages to uncover a few secrets which have put other people's lives in danger. I'm definitely looking forward to more Hitch!

Journal Entry 15 by CheriePie from Campbell, California USA on Monday, September 26, 2005
This book and The Hearse Case Scenario are on their way home to yllus. Sent via Media Mail on 27-Sep-2005.

Journal Entry 16 by yllus on Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Home again home again jiggity jig!

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