Elizabeth R. (esjro) - , reviewed on 9/14/2008 + 904 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 5

John J. Lamb really hits his stride with this second entry in his Bear Collector's Mystery series. Although I enjoyed the first book (The Mournful Teddy), the pacing in The False-Hearted Teddy was more consistent, so that the book held my interest the whole time.

In this book, retired homicide detective Brad Lyon and his artisan teddy bear maker wife Ashley leave their Shenandoah Valley hometown for a bear convention in Baltimore. While there, they become embroiled in a domestic dispute, the theft of intellectual property, and even a murder!

As in the first book, Lamb continues to poke fun at the cozy genre and his description of one of Ash's favorite (fictional) cozy series is laugh out loud funny. He also finds humor in the series almost unbelievable premise: that a tough retired cop could learn to enjoy a life filled with mohair bears, the sewing of bear clothes, and attending conventions filled with bear-crazed women. I also enjoy that Lamb incorporates real people from the artisan bear community into his stories.

Those who are easily offended should be warned that Lamb's writing might be considered risque for a genre whose stereotypical protagonists are spinsters who enjoy scrapbooking or baking... his characters swear (and by swearing I don't mean saying "darn!") and make sexual innuendos fairly frequently. Rate this one a PG!

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