Murder has no place in Liz Hopewell's perfect suburban life. She left her complicated past behind when she moved from Brooklyn to New Jersey, and she's determined to forget the violence that shadowed her early years. As an English teacher, wife, and mother, Liz now confines her fascination with existential dread to classroom discussions about Frankenstein and Hamlet. But violence follows her from the mean streets of her childhood home to the manicured lawns of suburbia when Elliot Tumbleson's head has an unfortunate and deadly encounter with a golf club. Her golf club.
A second murder, a case of mistaken identity, and a rollicking trip back to her childhood home all point to one prime suspect in each crime. Liz embarks upon a double investigation of homicides past and present, using her gift for literary theory to unearth clues that she finds as compelling as forensic evidence. But the killers, like her students, don't always read to the end.
"Robbins is in a class of her own with this thoroughly engrossing, occasionally funny, wry examination of the world of teaching, students, and the special challenges of solving a murder.
Very highly recommended as an exceptional stand-out powered not just by its mystery, but by a psychological atmosphere that brings characters and setting to life to keep its action fast-paced and vivid." - Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer Midwest Book Review
"Exposing and pushing back against the girl-sleuth conventions makes this series both familiar and quirky. Robbins reveals just enough about her heroine's life to make her appealing while leaving enough unresolved to whet the appetite for a follow-up." - Kirkus Reviews
"In this fast-paced and funny mystery, English teacher, Liz Hopewell, chases murderers at a posh country club where she's begrudgingly taking golf lessons to please her husband. As the country club murders unfold, Liz is drawn into a bigger mystery from her past that hits closer to home. Lori Robbins hits a hole-in-one with this tongue-in-cheek page-turner. With a delightfully quick pace and even quicker wit, this series will have you reading well past your bedtime. Warning: once you pick it up, you can't put it down. English teacher Liz Hopewell is my new favorite sleuth!" - Kelly Oliver, Amazon Bestselling Author of the Jessica James Mysteries
"A twisty, wicked tale sparklingly told! Lori Robbins takes us into the dark corners of suburbia, and the scariest streets of Brooklyn, in the unforgettable voice of English teacher Liz Hopewell. Liz, a prosperous mom after a difficult childhood, finds herself tracking a killer at the country club and delving into her own dark past while dodging the slings and arrows of school life. The setting and characters are vividly drawn, including assorted Stepford wives and gold diggers, a clueless and barely literate principal, and an officious, overbearing helicopter mom of a school board chair. Not to mention an adorable police detective. With her amazing, sharp voice, Liz is a standout on the merits, and her use of English lit in detecting is a unique and delicious twist. Characters to love and root for, plenty of baddies to despise, and a plot that keeps you guessing to the end-told in razor-sharp style. Sign me up for the next class!" - Kathleen Marple Kalb, author of the Ella Shane and Old Stuff Mysteries.
"Lori Robbins scores a hole-in-one with Study Guide for Murder: A Masterclass Mystery, a witty who-dun-it set in the pretentious world of country clubs. A foursome of interesting characters, clever plot twists woven with literary references, bodies dropping like golf balls into the rough, and a cold case personal to the gutsy amateur sleuth English teacher, heighten the tension on this championship round. Robbins' latest mystery sinks the shot with style and class." - Jodé Millman, author of multi-award-winning The Queen City Crimes series.
"Anyone who loves a mystery told with humor, heart, and plot twists galore will have a blast reading Lori Robbins's Study Guide for Murder, which features literature-quoting high school English teacher Liz Hopewell. Her marriage is on the rocks, her career as a teacher is up in smoke, and there's evidence her long-deceased mom might have been murdered. And that's just for starters. A richly detailed story with characters you'll want to follow for many more books. Give this mystery a grade of A+." - Mally Becker, Twice Agatha Award-nominated author of the Revolutionary War mystery series.
Lori Robbins is the author of the On Pointe and Master Class mystery series. She won the Indie Award for Best Mystery, two Silver Falchions, and is a finalist for the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense. Short stories include "Leading Ladies" in Justice for All, which received an Honorable Mention in the 2022 Best American Mystery and Suspense anthology. She also is a contributor to The Secret Ingredient: A Mystery Writers Cookbook. A former dancer, Lori performed with a number of modern dance and classical ballet companies, including Ballet Hispanico and the St. Louis Ballet. Her commercial work, in featured spots for Pavlova Perfume and Macy's, paid the bills. After ten very lean years onstage she became an English teacher and now writes full-time. Lori is a co-president of the New York/ Tristate Sisters in Crime and an active member of Mystery Writers of America. You can find her at lorirobbins.com and sign up for her newsletter at The Great Books Guide.
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