Dear Miss Demeanor

by Joan Hess

Book Overview

Agatha Award-winning author Joan Hess, the prolific creator of the Claire Malloy and Maggody mysteries, is beloved for her clever sleuths, quirky characters, and her ingenious plotting. We invite you... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0345349113
• ISBN13: 9780345349118
• Release Date: December 1990
• Publisher: Fawcett Books
• Length: 185 Pages
• Weight: 0.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 4.2" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

Just cute little stories

I got started on Joan Hess books from her Arly Hanks Maggody series (fantastic books). These are not as good but still quite entertaining little stories. The books are never more then 225 pages and are easy reading. The dialogue between Claire and her daughter is worthy enough to be a SNL skit. These books will not make you think but they will make you laugh.

The Book That Got Me Hooked

I picked this book up at a school book sale amidst piles of paperbacks that had been donated for their fundraiser. The witty writing, light but intelligent style, and intriguing mystery combine to make a great, fast read.Hess' humor is so enjoyable, and I love the fact that Claire Malloy is a bookstore owner and that the series has nothing to do with cooking. Hess is definitely a unique voice in the mystery world.

Witty sleuthing in small-town US

Book Depot owner Claire Malloy, the recreational sleuth of Faberville, is urged by her daughter Caron to investigate the dismissal of an elderly spinster journalism-teacher at Faberville High: Miss Parchester, the daughter of a former judge of the Supreme Court, was accused of embezzling petty cash from the journalism-fund of Faberville High. Suddenly the ghastly prinicipal of Fabervile High as well as the nasty janitor/custodian are poisoned and naturally old Miss Parchester seems to be the culprit. However, several of the teaching staff seem to have a motif to quieten the principal and/or the janitor.Substituting in teaching Claire does her bit of sleuthing in order to solve the crimes.As I have mentioned before, this book is not a thriller. Claire Malloy is a witty person, however, and has to cope with raising a teenage daughter mostly always speaking in capital letters and therefore is nearly incessantly involed in "adolescent melodrama" (p. 3). Yet another funny tidbit is Claire's relationship to local CID-boss Peter Rosen who seems to be a hunk, but a bit clumsy when it comes to investigating.Result: The right book, if you want to spend an afternoon chuckling in front of the fireplace or in the garden.

A great beach book

When the journalism teacher at Faberville High School is accused of pilfering petty cash and suspended from work, Claire Malloy finds herself pushed into substitute teaching while trying to clear the teacher's name. The principal is poisoned and all clues point to the dear journalism teacher. Then a second body turns up. Claire works to clear the journalism teacher's name before having to chaperone the school's dreaded Friday night home coming dance. While the characters could have been better developed, this does not detract from the story. Antics at Farberville High rival the best soap opera plot, motives abound and humor prevails - all adding up to a page turning, fun mystery.

Dear Miss Demeaner

This was a very powerful book for me. I loved every minute of it. I would recommend it for anyone who just wanted to pick up a great book to read.