Title/Author: Silence of the Lamps (A Caprice De Luca Mystery) / Karen Rose Smith
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Publisher: Kensington
Date of publish: April 2016
Pages: 352
Buy Links: Amazon
Book Site Links: Goodreads / Riffle / LibraryThing / BookLikes
About The Book:
Caprice’s house staging is disrupted by Drew Pierson, a caterer who opened Portable Edibles, a business in direct competition with her sister Nikki’s Catered Capers. Nikki turned down Drew as a possible partner and he seems determined to undermine and bury her. However his successful launch of a deal for his blackberry barbecue sauce must have stirred up his enemies. When Nikki visits the house where Drew lives with his grandmother to resolve differences, she and Caprice find him dead–murdered with the base of a valuable Tiffany lamp.
Caprice discovers clues about Drew’s sly business dealings–from stealing recipes from another chef, to friends who hold grudges, to a sister who will now inherit half of her grandmother’s estate since Drew is dead. In the midst of her own romantic relationship upheaval, helping her uncle set up his pet sitting-business, assisting a friend care for a pregnant stray cat, Caprice follows the suspect trail, inadvertently putting herself in danger once more.
What Others Are Saying:
SILENCE OF THE LAMPS may just be the best in the series so far (It’s hard to pick only one). With it’s terrific storyline, packed with action, intrigue, and humor, this book is solid page turner!
~Lisa K’s Book Reviews
With lots of clues to keep you guessing at the identity of the murderer, this was a fast paced, fun read.
~The Book’s the Thing
Silence of the Lamps was another amazing add to this series packed with laughable moments and truly lovable characters, making this a fast-paced, fun read.
~Classy Cheapskate
This has been a fun series from the start. It’s packed with fun, humor and murder that you won’t be able to stop reading.
~Shelley’s Book Case
Ms. Smith wrote a very exciting book!
~Back Porchervations
My Review:
Caprice De Luca’s job as a house stager, often has her hiring sister Nikki to cater her open houses. At one such occasion while Nikki is catering, her former sou-chef and now biggest catering competition, Drew Pierson, shows up and creates a scene. He loudly and quite publicly announces that he will destroy Nikki’s business. When at food expo a few days later Nikki realizes he has stolen one of her recipes and is claiming it as his own creation, she feels that she must confront him for his underhanded ways and tell him to stop. When Nikki and Caprice arrive at his grandmother’s home where he also lives, they find him dead, his head bashed in by the base of an expensive Tiffany lamp. Soon it becomes obvious to Caprice that Nikki is a prime suspect and she will need to find out who really murdered the abrasive caterer. Motives and suspects are aplenty, but a need to protect her sister and a promise to Drew’s Grandmother to find his murderer, keeps Caprice hot on the trail.
There is a formula that most Cozies follow. They are usually quick fluff reads with just a touch of suspense. Really, just a way to pass a few minutes of time easily that doesn’t really register as the reader moves on to the next one on her list. Nothing wrong with that, but occasionally I like a bit of substance with my stories, and Silence of the Lamps delivers in a big way. This is my first experience with Caprice De Luca and her author Karen Rose Smith, and I am quite impressed. This story could easily have fallen into the typical pattern and been perfectly acceptable. Instead I found a wonderful story full of well developed, well written characters. Caprice and her close knit family are great examples. Instead of being cardboard filler, they are bright and vibrant with stories of their own. Interesting tid-bits like the circumstances of Nana living with Caprice’s parents, Uncle Dom’s search for a new and fulfilling career and the close, yet distinctly different relationships that Caprice has with each of her sisters, are wonderful touches to the story.
The plot is beyond engaging. This is a murder mystery that reads like straight fiction. Caprice is less a heroine and more just a great protagonist with a great story to tell. Her relationships with her family, friends and neighbors are where the real story is, and nothing is lost as she doggedly tracks down the clues that will solve the murder. Her involvement in the community, her fierce loyalty to rescue animals and her struggles with her boyfriend simply serve to make her a relate-able person. The mystery itself is beautifully laid out with abundant clues and red herrings. The story leading to Drew’s death is well thought out and perfectly written.
With more than 90 books, in some of my favorite genres, I can’t imagine how I have missed reading this author. It is a mistake I intend to correct. I most enjoyed my visit to Kismet and I hope to journey there again soon.
5 stars
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
About The Author:
Award winning and best-selling author, Karen Rose Smith’s plots are all about emotion. She began writing in her early teens when she listened to music and created stories to accompany the songs. An only child, she spent a lot of time in her imagination and with books–Nancy Drew, Zane Gray, The Black Stallion and Anne of Green Gables. She dreamed of brothers and sisters and a big family like her mother and father came from. This is the root of her plot lines that include small communities and family relationships as part of everyday living. Residing in Pennsylvania with her husband and four rescued cats, she welcomes interaction with readers on social media.
Author Links: Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Pinterest
Other Caprice De Luca Mysteries:
Staged to Death (A Caprice De Luca Mystery)
Deadly Decor (Caprice De Luca Mystery)
Gilt by Association (A Caprice De Luca Mystery)
Drape Expectations (A Caprice De Luca Mystery)
Other Books By Karen Rose Smith
Giveaway:
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Tour Participants
April 25 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews – REVIEW
April 25 – The Book’s the Thing – REVIEW
April 26 – Classy Cheapskate – REVIEW
April 26 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW
April 27 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW
April 28 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
April 28 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW
April 29 – A Date with a Book – REVIEW
April 29 – A Holland Reads – SPOTLIGHT
April 30 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
April 30 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 1 – Melina’s Book Blog – REVIEW
May 1 – LibriAmoriMiei – REVIEW
May 2 – Queen of All She Reads – REVIEW
May 2 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
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I Read What You Write! 
Have added this to my TBR list. Can’t wait to read it.
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I totally recommend it!
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Thanks for having me here today!
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You are welcome, come back anytime.
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I’m looking forward to reading “Silence of the Lamps”. I can’t wait to see what Caprice is up to. Adding to my TBR list.
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