High Seas Murder

Attempted Reread December 2023
DNF - PG 56

Why?

I remembered really liking this series of mystery novels back in the day (of which this one was my favorite) so I thought this book would have the best chance of just about all my cozy mysteries to return me to actually enjoying this genre.

And I think I could have. The characters are all interesting and vibrant - and even mostly likable. But I have two problems.

The first one I would have been willing to deal with. The fact is, I don't know dance or opera so the terms that are bandied about herein are things I have no clue on. I think I used to know more about this than I do now, but I honestly don't know what Lindy is talking about like half the time.

The second one, is that there is such an obsession with weight in this book, from Lindy. She recently lost weight so now she's down to size eight - but she won't be happy until she's a size six. And she wears a wrap and a cover up to the pool because she doesn't want any of the thin, bikini-clad performers to see her body. (Or, apparently, and of the old, wrinkly patrons, either.) She doesn't want to eat anything but a salad because she must be skinny.

Look, I've recently lost weight. My size fourteens fit me loose now, where before they had been super tight and I thought I'd likely have to go up a size. I have not worn size sixes since I was probably sixteen. I honestly find Lindy's obsession with weight annoy, frustrating and, honestly, kind of disgusting.

I'm out.

(Side note: It also feels very dated on a lot of aspects. In a way that, at times, feels kind of gross. (Like female-on-male sexual harassment and using HIV/AIDS just to show what a mamma-bear Lindy is.))