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    The Mutual Admiration Society: A Novel
    The Mutual Admiration Society: A Novel
    The Mutual Admiration Society: A Novel
    Audiobook8 hours

    The Mutual Admiration Society: A Novel

    Written by Lesley Kagen

    Narrated by Dara Rosenberg

    3/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    From the New York Times bestselling author of Whistling in the Dark comes an unforgettable novel that illuminates the sweet and brittle bonds of family, the tenderness of growing up, the heartbreak of longing for what we’ve lost, and the poignancy of finding love.

    FACT: Unbeknownst to eleven-year-old Theresa “Tessie” Finley, she’s in over her head.

    PROOF: After hearing a scream and catching a glimpse of a mysterious man carrying a body beneath the flickering streetlights in the cemetery behind her house, Tessie adds solving a murder case to her already quite full to-do list.

    Tessie has elected herself president of the crime-stopping Mutual Admiration Society—as if dealing with her “sad madness” over the tragic drowning of her beloved father; showering tender loving care on her “sweet but weird” younger sister, Birdie; and staying on the good side of their hard-edged mother weren’t enough. With partner in crime Charlie “Cue Ball” Garfield, Tessie and Birdie will need to dodge the gossips in their 1950s blue-collar neighborhood—particularly their evil next-door neighbor, Gert Klement, who’d like nothing better than to send the sisters to “homes.” And, of course, there’s the problem of steering clear of the kidnapping murderer if they have any hope of solving the mystery of all mysteries: the mystery of life.

    A rich and charming tour de force, The Mutual Admiration Society showcases Lesley Kagen’s marvelous storytelling talents. Laced with heartwarming humor and heartbreaking grief, this novel is nothing short of magical.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateFeb 1, 2017
    ISBN9781531866174
    The Mutual Admiration Society: A Novel
    Author

    Lesley Kagen

    Lesley Kagen is an actress, voice-over talent, speaker, and award-winning New York Times bestselling author of eight novels, including The Undertaking of Tess. Her work has been translated into seven languages. A mother of two and grandmother of two, she lives in a hundred-year-old farmhouse in a small town in Wisconsin. Visit with her on Facebook and at her website, www.lesleykagen.com.

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    Reviews for The Mutual Admiration Society

    3/5

    23 ratings4 reviews

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    • 5/5
      A fabulous , charming ,heart tugging , heartfelt and funny read. Only Lesley Karen can produce all of these emotions in one read! Truth: read this book!
    • 3/5
      I loved The Resurrection of Tess Blessing, so I thought this would be no different since the main characters are Tess and Birdie. I didn't hate the book but I also didn't love it. I usually always love Lesley Kagen's books. I didn't fall in love with any of the characters and mostly found them annoying. Tessie repeated herself so much through the book. Louise was one of the worst mothers.The book pretty much takes place over the course of a day, while the girls try to solve the murder of a missing nun. Tessie is pretty sure she saw a murder take place in the cemetery while staring out her bedroom window late one night. The next morning she finds out of a nun went missing. The whole book centers around the girls trying to solve the case of the missing nun, while running through the cemetery and trying to hide from their neighbor. I found I enjoyed the last part of the book more than the beginning. There are definitely some funny parts in the book. You may love this book, so give it a try. If you enjoyed reading about Tess and Birdie in the previous books, you might also like this book. I look forward to reading more books by the author.Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and the author, Lesley Kagen, for a free electronic ARC of this novel.
    • 4/5
      In a word, cute.I loved the Finley sisters in their first book, The Undertaking of Tess, so there was never any doubt in my mind that I would read this one when it came out. They continuously make me chuckle. And I love the love they have for their dad.In this book, Tess hears a scream in the cemetery and vaguely sees someone, someone tall, carrying a body... is it a dead body? Who screamed? Is it a murder mystery? That's exactly what Tess and The Mutual Admiration Society sets out to find. When the principal, Sister Mary Margaret, also turns up missing, this is just icing on the cake. Thanks to the librarian for adding the book Modern Detection to Tess's pile of books, it gives Tess all the detecting advice she needs to follow.I liked it, I like the girls but the story dragged for me a little, it didn't want to hold my attention.
    • 5/5
      Precocious eleven-year-old Tessie Finley is the narrator of this heartwarming novel. In addition to her endless lists, she organizes The Mutual Admiration Society. Tessie believes she has witnessed a crime in her local cemetery. With the help of her trustworthy friend, Charlie, and her little sister Birdie, she intends to solve it.Tessie narrates her story with a straightforward, no-nonsense, wise and witty voice. She does her very best to make sense of the world around her. And, she has a whole lot on her plate. Tessie is dealing with the sudden, tragic death of her father, an emotionally inaccessible mother, judgmental neighbors, and Birdie’s special needs. Yet, Tessie does it all with a very spirited, loving heart.Author Lesley Kagen has also done it again. She has created a story that is both entertaining and heartwarming. Her attention to time and place is accurate and relevant. Tessie’s world of 1950s Milwaukee took me back to my similar childhood in Chicago. Sometimes, I felt I knew Tessie, other times I felt I was her! I could relate to her way of thinking, her determination, and her world.As always, Lesley Kagen has created a story filled with characters you can care about. She understands and preserves the innocence of childhood. She respects the trust found in a child’s heart, sharing it in the natural way a child does.Lesley Kagen is a very special author. She never disappoints. I have read each of her books and loved them all. If you have not read her books, you should. You are missing out on some very special reading.