Review: You Might as Well Die by J.J. Murphy

Description (from cover):

‘One must be careful never to pick up a stray piece of paper at the Algonquin Round Table–it may be the check.

But when second-rate illustrator Ernie MacGuffin slips Dorothy Parker an envelope, she’s none the wiser. Only later does she discover it’s a suicide note. And when MacGuffin’s works triple in value following his apparent suicide off the Brooklyn Bridge, Dorothy smells something fishy.

Enlisting the help of magician and skeptic Harry Houdini, she goes to a seance held by MacGuffin’s mistress, where Ernie’s ghostly voice seems hauntingly real…’

My thoughts:

If you haven’t gotten around to reading this mystery series, make sure you put it high on your list. I absolutely adore this series. I love the historical characters and setting and how every book features someone famous in that era. This one features Harry Houdini and showcases his exemplary talent for illusion and for debunking fraudulent psychics who claim they can speak with the dead.

Dorothy Parker finds herself somewhat stunned when Ernie MacGuffin decides to give her his suicide note. However in true Dorothy Parker fashion, she ignores it and goes about her own merry way. However as the suicide hour approaches, her conscience starts getting to her. She rushes to the Brooklyn Bridge only to find that she is too late to save Ernie. The art world promptly reacts to the suicide and Ernie’s artwork soon is quite pricey. Dorothy feels that something isn’t quite right and she is on the case to solve this new mystery.

Dorothy Parker’s wit is something she is well known for and the author does a fabulous job of portraying her and the other members of the Algonquin Round Table. I hate that there are only three book so far in the series and I hope that the author plans to write some more because this is one series that I cannot live without. I highly encourage all lovers of mystery, historical or cozy, to read this series as it leaves the reader begging for more and utterly captivated. Another hit from J.J. Murphy!

Overall Rating: 5+

Title:  You Might as Well Die
Author:  J.J. Murphy
Series:  Algonquin Round Table Mystery #2
Publisher:  Signet
Publication Date:  December 6, 2011
Pages:  336
Genre:  Historical Mystery
Get It:  Amazon; Barnes & Noble

Disclaimer: This book was selected from the library by myself and I reviewed this book without compensation of any kind. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.