Damsels in Distress, Joan Hess
Damsels in Distress, Joan Hess
List: $29.95 | Sale: $20.97
Club: $14.97

Damsels in Distress

Author: Joan Hess

Narrator: C. J. Critt

Unabridged: 12 hr 3 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/01/2007

Synopsis

A renaissance fair is coming to the relatively quiet college town of Farberville, Arkansas. Though resistant to getting involved, Claire Malloy, local bookseller and mother of the perpetually petulant teen Caron, finds herself drawn into the strange inner workings of the group putting on the fair. But a dark mood falls over the festivities when one of the organizers is a victim of arson, and her body is found in the burned wreckage of her rented house. Someone is definitely dead—but is it murder?

About Joan Hess

Joan Hess is the author of both the Claire Malloy and the Maggody mystery series. She is a winner of the Agatha Award, a member of Sisters in Crime, and a former president of the American Crime Writers League. A longtime resident of Fayetteville, Arkansas, she now lives in Austin, Texas.

About C. J. Critt

C. J. Critt is an actress, author, and popular audiobook narrator. She has performed on and off Broadway and frequently leads creative workshops.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Linda on September 07, 2020

2 stars for a book in which the protagonist is annoying and not particularly believable. Amateur sleuths always need a connection to someone in law enforcement but it is not okay for said sleuth to break the law as this one does while engaged to a detective. No way would they still be together. I'm......more

Goodreads review by Christine on November 22, 2024

I didn’t love this book. I think I got it from a “friends of the library” sale. But I suppose I’d give Claire Malloy another chance to get into the flow of the series. It seems that Claire and her daughter Caron have an interesting dynamic. And Claire’s fiancé, Peter, being a Police Lieutenant adds......more

Goodreads review by Catie on May 13, 2015

Maybe this is my fault for reading this book without reading any others in the series, but it didn't really hang together that well for me. The motivations of the characters were a bit hard to follow- why are the main characters angry with each other? Why is everyone falling over themselves to befri......more

Goodreads review by Corinne on May 15, 2014

Just an okay mystery. The characters are funny but there were so many characters that it was difficult to keep everyone straight. The conversations between characters seemed at sometimes to be stilted. Who talks like that? Otherwise enjoyable.......more

Goodreads review by D. on April 21, 2018

Rating PG-13 appropriate for middle school through adult. 1st person narrative Limited strong language. Instead, the main character, Claire, will report that she used a variety of Anglo-Saxon words to express herself. (Thank you Ms. Hess) No sex No graphic violence - this is a whodunit not a police pro......more

Quotes

“If you’ve never spent time with Claire and her crew, I feel sorry for you. Stop reading this nonsense and hop to it. You’ll see wit and humanity all wrapped up in a nifty murder mystery.” Harlan Coben, New York Times bestselling author, praise for the author

“A wonderfully written cozy filled with well-developed characters and nonstop suspense.” RT Book Reviews (4 stars)

“Hess fans will find much to entertain them while eagerly anticipating Claire’s wedded bliss in upcoming episodes.” Publishers Weekly

“C. J. Critt delivers an entertaining performance, imbuing Claire with quirkiness and spunk. Critt smoothly alternates between belligerent teenagers and frustrated adults who prefer the world of fifteenth-century lords and ladies.”  AudioFile

Add to Cart
Add to Wish List