About Deadmistress
This is the new 2011 edition of Deadmistress, originally published in 2004. It is available on Amazon, Kindle and at smashwords.com (for users of Nook and other e-readers).
This is the new 2011 edition of Deadmistress, originally published in 2004. It is available on Amazon, Kindle and at smashwords.com (for users of Nook and other e-readers).
cshmurak said,
June 27, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Here’s a bit about Deadmistress:
Sabena Lazlo, the headmistress of a posh private school for girls has been found brutally murdered in her office. When professor and educational consultant Susan Lombardi learns that her close friend John has been accused of the crime, she wastes no time setting out to clear his name. While doing so she uncovers some troubling secrets about the school’s faculty and staff, and it soon becomes clear that John is definitely not the only one with a motive for murdering the “deadmistress.”
Deadmistress is the first book in a series featuring Dr. Susan Lombardi, a 40ish professor of education at Metropolitan State University, in Albion, Connecticut. Deadmistress is a lighthearted, traditional mystery with a murder in a close-knit community in which almost everyone has a motive for wanting the demise of the victim. Its heroine is part of a long tradition of academic sleuths.
Jesse Lipcon said,
June 28, 2008 at 6:44 pm
I enjoyed reading this book — it’s a real page turner, and I couldn’t put it down. However, in the spirit of full disclosure I must admit to some bias, having known Carole Shmurak for almost 60 years. And I suspect there’s more than a little bit of Carole in her lead character Susan Lombardi.
Joan Samuels Kaiser said,
June 28, 2008 at 10:14 pm
I thoroughly enjoying following Dr. Susan Lombardi as she tried to find Sabena Lazlo’s killer. Carole Shmurak writes her novels with a strong background knowledge of how schools work, or don’t work in this case. Her character development is flawless.The book kept me engaged, captivated, and eager to find out “who did it.” What will Dr. Lombardi solve next? I can hardly wait!
Phil Bowers said,
July 7, 2008 at 1:32 am
Susan Lombardi, in “Deadmistress,” author Shmurak’s introduction to the growing pantheon of writers’ alter egos who, willingly or circumstantially, take up gumshoeing, gives us who are unfamiliar with the day-to-day machinations of academia a good look into that sequestered world. Murder in the hallowed and peaceful halls of ivy? Who “woudda thunk” it? Lombardi promises a long life of sleuthing in the tradition of Marple, McGee, Spenser et (many) al(s). in future adventures.
John Rusnock said,
July 11, 2008 at 11:13 pm
As a member of Carole’s Mystery Discussion Group I found that her Ist mystery, “Dead Mistress”, did not disappoint . Well plotted, interesting characters/suspects and a satisfying conculsion. We are introduced to Susan Lombardi and she will please many mystery fans/readers with her crime solving abilities. Hopefully we will be able to follow Susan Lombardi in
future novels. It will be interesting to follow her growth/development.
Diane Carney said,
July 21, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Dead Mistress was a good read after I managed to plow through all the “clutter”. To me “clutter” in this instance is 1. a map 2. a cast of characters and 3. many obscure quotes at the beginning of each chapter. These I found distracting. I also thought that there was an excess of dialogue. A lot of stuff to keep track of.
I had just finished reading Miss Pym Disposes by Josephine Tey, so I was probably in an “uncluttered” state of mind.