Death on Demand
About Death on Demand
WHO COULD PLOT A MURDER BETTER THAN A MYSTERY WRITER? At Annie Laurance’s Death On Demand bookstore on Broward’s Rock Island, South Carolina, murder most foul suddenly isn’t confined to the well-stocked shelves. Author Elliot Morgan’s abrupt demise during a weekly gathering of famous mystery writers called the Sunday Night Regulars is proof positive that a bloody sword is sometimes mightier than a brilliant pen.
With Annie is the unenviable position of primary police suspect, the pretty young mystery maven and her wealthy paramour, Max Darling, embark on an investigation into a classic locked-room mystery with high stakes. For failing to unmask a brutal and ingenious killer could mean prison for Ms. Laurance.
While success could mean her death. “Irresistible! [Carolyn] Hart drops big names from the mystery world like murderers drop clues and Annie and Max are the most endearing new pair of sleuths since Tommy and Tuppence!
What readers say
A mystery writer is murdered during a gathering at Annie's bookstore, and readers enjoy the bookstore setting, the shelf of classic-mystery references and a closed-circle puzzle among a group of authors. Critics note an early, prickly version of Annie, heavy name-dropping of mystery titles and 1980s details that feel dated. Many fans say the series and the characters improve in later books.
Best for: Readers who know and love classic mystery fiction.
Summary of public reader reviews, updated October 2026.