Resort to Murder

Resort to Murder follows mystery bookstore owner Annie Darling as she investigates suspicious events at a luxury island resort off the South Carolina coast. When a true crime writer arrives to research a decades-old murder case, tensions rise among the guests and staff. Annie becomes entangled in both the old case and new dangers at the resort, where several guests have connections to the original murder. She must navigate complex relationships and conflicting accounts while trying to prevent another crime from occurring. The plot moves between Annie's amateur detective work and glimpses into the resort's past, revealing how a single violent act continues to impact multiple lives. The island setting creates an atmosphere of isolation as storms and power outages complicate the investigation. The novel explores themes of justice, memory, and the ripple effects of violence through time. Hart examines how people cope with trauma and questions whether old wounds can ever fully heal.

Readers found this to be a lighter, cozy mystery that works as a beach read but lacks depth. Most reviews note the focus on the luxury resort setting and descriptions of vacation activities over character development or complex mystery elements. Readers appreciated: - The Hawaiian resort atmosphere and local details - Quick pacing and easy reading style - The main character's interactions with hotel guests Common criticisms: - Plot twists felt predictable and obvious - Too much focus on mundane hotel operations - Limited character depth, especially for suspects - Several reviewers mentioned difficulty connecting with the protagonist Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (287 ratings) Amazon: 3.7/5 (42 ratings) "Fun but forgettable" appears frequently in reviews. One Goodreads reviewer noted: "The resort details overwhelmed the actual mystery." Amazon reviews commonly mention it works best as "light vacation reading" but lacks memorable elements to distinguish it from similar cozy mysteries.

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🌊 The book is part of the "Death on Demand" mystery series, set in the fictional island of Broward's Rock, South Carolina, which was inspired by Hilton Head Island. 📚 Carolyn Hart has won multiple Agatha Awards for her mystery writing, including three for Best Novel, making her one of the most decorated authors in the cozy mystery genre. 🏪 The series' protagonist, Annie Darling, owns a mystery bookstore called "Death on Demand," which features real mystery authors' works within the fictional narrative. 🎨 Each book in the series, including "Resort to Murder," includes references to actual mystery novel covers as part of a contest within the story. 🏆 "Resort to Murder" was published in 2004 and is the 13th book in what would become a 26-book series that concluded in 2016 with "Walking on My Grave."