[.ca] Princeton Murders (ISBN 0425188205)

Highly disappointing:
I bought this book because I had recently moved to central New Jersey and I thought the book would be a fun way to get to know a bit about the Princeton area. While I did learn a little about Princeton, the story was hardly enjoyable. I stopped reading "Young Adult" books like this one in 4th grade and, after six years, I remember exactly why I stopped reading them: boring!!! Unfortunately, this story died long before any of its characters did. First of all, it was clear who would be the first victim shortly after he/she was introduced. It didn't take long to ascertain the method in which the character was murdered and it was even easier to determine who the next victim would be (and why). The characters, however, need several more chapters to figure out all of this information. Before I reached the middle of the book I already knew who the murderer was, yet the characters remained completely clueless until the murderer nearly succeeded in killing off the story's protagonist. The predictability of the storyline wasn't the book's only flaw. Waldron has absolutely no idea how to develop her characters. There was no depth to them whatsoever. Many of the characters had one personality or physical trait that made them distinguishable but the rest of the characters just blended together. One thing Waldron never fails to mention about a character is how fat they are and if you were left with any doubts about how obese the person was, you could count on another character to mention it later on in the book. This brings me to another of the book's flaws. I have to give Waldron some credit; she did do her research on the Princeton area and on Princeton University however she failed to capture the manners of the people. In general, people in Princeton have much more class then the characters in her book. It would be very rare to find someone bold enough to say that someone else was "...wriggling with happiness...And when she wriggled, she's so fat that the office shook" (131). This is only one of many comments made on poor Mystique Alcott's weight problems. All of the Princeton University students and the way they talk remind me of my 8th grade classmates in the midwest. College students, especially ones at Princeton University, should seem a little more mature than middle-schoolers. On the plus side, the characters spoke very good. (yes, I mean 'good' and not 'well' because that's just how well the characters spoke!) One would expect students and professors at Princeton University to have much better grammer (or at the very least good enough that a 10th grader can't pick out their mistakes) It's a good thing that Cliff Kingsley is a fictional character because as a member of the Princton English Department he would be fired rather quickly for saying things such as "...Thursday night they talked to me and Stephanie" (130). And any student aspiring to go to Princeton University would be lucky to be accepted if he/she ever said, "Then she thanked me for lunch and said she really had to run and that I had made her very happy. Me and what we're planning" (123). Looking back on everything, I think my 2-star rating is VERY generous. The book does have it's good points though: It tells a bit about the Princeton area and its university, it shares some of the more basic rules of journalism, and it contains a few food recipes as well. 'The Princeton Murders' is a fine way to kill a few hours... it also makes a great table leveler!

Definitely an "A":
My test for a mystery: The book held my interest from beginning to end and I'd like to re-read parts. As other readers have noted, the plot is derived from the murder of a professor. A few of Delaney's students decide to enhance their investigative skills by some amateur sleuthing. I thought the plot worked well, although the author follows genre conventions and a serious reader will guess the murderer. And, as others have noted, the characters are not as deeply drawn as they could be but that's okay in this cozy genre. My only quibbles were the plausibility of the story: typically, a visiting instructor who's called at the last minute won't get accepted so readily. Everyone will know she's a third choice and they'll treat her accordingly. And I have *never* seen a department that throws so many parties, after so many years in academia. But maybe English departments are different from business! The recipes could have been omitted. It's not a culinary series and there are just a few not-too-spectacular recipes....but what kind of series will this be? Heroine McLeod goes back to the newspaper world, so we'll need a new heroine or a new setting.

Dangerous Education:
A setting that matches any English novel, a steel magnolia as the sleuth, an engaging class of student detectives, an interesting interplay between deep south and Yankee culture, and enough murders cleverly executed to arouse concern for the future of the Princeton factulty. What more could one ask for an evening by the fire or a week-end at the beach? When McLeod Dulaney arrives as a visiting lecturer at Princeton to teach a class on "Literature of Fact," a fancy name for journalism, she wonders how she'll challenge twelve gifted students. As it turns out, murder challenges both teacher and students in a dangerous sleuthing assignment.

Dangerous Education:
A setting that matches any English novel, a steel magnolia as the sleuth, an engaging class of student detectives, an interesting interplay between deep south and Yankee culture, and enough murders cleverly executed to arouse concern for the future of the Princeton factulty. What more could one ask for an evening by the fire or a week-end at the beach? When McLeod Dulaney arrives as a visiting lecturer at Princeton to teach a class on "Literature of Fact," a fancy name for journalism, she wonders how she'll challenge twelve gifted students. As it turns out, murder challenges both teacher and students in a dangerous sleuthing assignment.

A Star is Born:
This book is a joy. Ann Waldron's hero/detective, McLeod Dulaney, is a captivating invention - bright, witty, erudite, hep. The mystery itself takes us through a maze of academic politics and infighting, in its way as riveting, petty, mean as anything one might find in the corporate world. Delicous all of it. A mystery lover's delight. Added to this Ms Waldron's book contains wonderful descriptons of Princeton -both town and university - lore and mileu. Were I the Dean of Students, I would assign this book as required reading for all incoming freshmen. And were I the Dean of Faculty, I would do the same for all incoming faculty. As an academic Baedeker, it can't be beat. To top it off, the descriptions of meals and food are mouthwatering. Some recipes are included. I for one will be getting out my bundt pan. I loved this book. Don't miss it. Buy it, read it, tell your friends! I just hope Ms Waldron will hurry up and give us her next volume.