Shakespeare's Counselor (Lily Bard Mysteries, Book 5)

I have become a Charlaine Harris fan through True Blood, the Sookie books and now I'm reading the Teagarden series, too. This one was really complex and the story line with Jack ended perfectly. I wish she'd write more Lily Bard, but she says she's done with her - pity!

I wished there had been more books in this series but I know that it just couldn't go on. Only so many people can be murdered in one small town before the stories have to end! I liked this series tremendously but was pretty disappointed with how this last one ended. A bit anti-climatic for me. I had hoped for a most conclusive ending. But I will admit that it left me wondering what ever really became of the main character, Lily Bard.

I enjoyed this book. I've enjoyed just about all Charlaine Harris's books. This wasn't my favorite Lily Bard Mystery, but I think it added to the series, and to the depths of at least a few of the characters. On the other hand, the mystery at hand didn't seem to add up completely. I don't doubt that there are some crazy people in the world, but this story just seemed a teensy bit unbelievable to me. I'm glad that *SPOILER* Lily and Jack married, although I think I was secretly rooting for Bobo. I guess Charlaine felt that hooking he and Janet up was enough, but after reading several books and always loving Bobo, his tiny appearance in this book and seemingly meaningless relationship with Janet just didn't suit me. I think I read somewhere that there may or may not be more Lily Bard Mysteries, but I really hope there will be, and with some sort of a real conclusion. I'd like to know more about Jack, and that skanky ex girlfriend of his. I'd like to see more of Lily too, of course, and even Claude and Carrie. I've really enjoyed this series, though not as much as the Sookie Stackhouse books or the Harper Connelly Mysteries. I think though, that I just prefer the supernatural books. Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery with a strong leading lady!

I initially discovered Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series at a difficult time in my life when I just needed a lift. Sookie is great for that, in fact, so good that I have read the entire series twice. (A first for me, and I read a great deal!)

However, the Lily Bard series, in my estimation is even better because Ms. Harris has no fantasy world of vampires and werewolves to rely on here - just the gritty South.

Lily is a heroine with a lot of flaws, but she gets through life through resolution and determination. She has a very realistic view of the people around her, and doesn't have many false expectations - especially for herself.

This book (the fifth, and so far the last) is one of the best in the series, because despite Lily's misgivings, she begins, finally, to be able to integrate into the community around her - while solving a knotty mystery. Lily's ability to make connections with other people, despite her misgivings, makes her an especially appealing character.

I strongly recommend that readers start with the first book and go through them in order, the experience is very rich and layered.

This book was a disappointment. The plot - such as it is - is weak and really not a mystery at all. The main character does no sleuthing that has any real effect. Characters and actions seem thrown together. The one murder is rather brutal, but the brutality doesn't end up really meaning anything in the plot so why exactly go there except to be gruesome? Really disliked it - not worth the time to read.

This is the fifth (and currently final) book in the Lily Bard series.

A few years earlier Lily Bard's life had been shattered. The happy, confident young woman had been kidnapped and gang raped, escaping with her life only through a combination of luck and her own determination. Since then Lily had fled from her family and comfortable life to the small town of Shakespeare. There she had slowly rebuilt her life, working as a free lance house cleaner, honing her karate skills and gradually building a circle of friends. She had also fallen in love with Jack Leeds, a former police officer turned PI who was also trying to rebuild his life. It was due to Jack's urging that Lily decided she was finally ready to take the next step in her recovery and join a support group. Unfortunately for Lily her promising beginning with the group was marred when a young woman was murdered and left in the office of the group's counselor. The counselor herself was also going through her own ordeal, she was being stalked by a very persistent tormentor. Was the murder victim killed because of her own past or that of the counselor? Lily and Jack were determined to ferret out the truth even though they were dealing with their own more personal traumas as well.

Even though this series is written by Charlaine Harris who is better knows for her SOOKIE STACKHOUSE/SOUTHERN VAMPIRE (aka TRUE BLOOD) there is nothing supernatural about Lily's life - all the threats are provided by all too human sources. The overall story arc here is quite strong, so in order to fully experience Lily's story the series needs to be read in order.

Shakespeare's Counselor (2001) is the fifth mystery series in the Lily Bard series, following [[ASIN:0425196992 Shakespeare's Trollop]]. In the previous volume, Lily discovered the identity of the killers, but was trapped by them. She fought with the killers, but was losing. Then Claude came out and held them at gun point. One killer almost escaped before the police arrived.

In this novel, Lily Bard cleans houses and does other housekeeping chores for her clients. She has lived in Shakespeare for about four years. She has also been involved in four criminal investigations.

Jack Leeds is a private investigator in Little Rock. He has been married to Lily for the past three months.

Carrie Thrush is Lily's doctor and a client of her cleaning services. She is struggling to repay her school loans. She is married to Claude Friedrich, the Shakespeare Chief of Police.

Tamsin Lynd is a rape counselor in Shakespeare. She is married to Cliff Eggers, a medical transcriber.

Janet Shook is a childcare worker. She is also a student in Lily's karate class.

Sandy McCorkindale is the wife of the pastor at the Shakespeare Combined Church near Lily's house. She and Lily have known each other for several years.

In this story, Lily has a nightmare and smashes Jack's nose. Jack suggests (again) that Lily try therapy for rape victims. Lily is so rattled by the incident that she doesn't even argue. The next day she calls the county health clinic and makes an appointment to join the rape therapy group.

The following night, Lily arrives a bit early at the health clinic and meets Tamsin. After a few words, Tamsin receives a phone call and Lily can tell that she is terrified. Then Tamsin shows Lily the group therapy room and leaves her with the group.

Lily already knows Janet and Sandy, but she is less familiar with the others. Tamsin comes into the room and makes sure that everybody knows each other. The other women are Carla, Melanie and Firella.

After the introductions, Tamsin asks them to relate the experiences that led to them joining the group. Sandy states that she had been a victim of rape while she was a college student, but doesn't tell the details.

When Lily takes her turn, she describes the circumstances that led to her abduction, rape and torture. She also describes her killing of the kidnapper. One woman remembers the incident and mentions that she had thought Lily to have been foolish to walk from her broken down car. Tamsin leads the class in reciting the rule: Don't blame the victim for the crime.

After the meeting, Janet stays around to talk to Lily. She tells Lily what she knows about the counselor and her husband. When Lily asks about the man who raped her, Janet says that he died the previous year. They share a joke and then depart the clinic.

Later, Lily tells Jack about the meeting as they drive to Little Rock. Lily is learning PI procedures from Jack. She is currently working undercover in a gym looking for a thief.

After a few meetings, Lily arrives at the clinic to find the door locked. When they get in, a dead body is found in the office and Janet is unconscious on the floor. The murder victim is the sister-in-law of Melanie, but looks a lot like Tamsin. Lily wonders if the killer had intended to kill Tamsin.

Then Lily becomes very ill and Jack has to drive her to the hospital. She is bleeding badly and insists on Jack putting a bathmat in the seat before she will go with him. She is admitted and Carrie examines her to determine her problem.

This tale has Lily working her regular job, surveilling a woman suspected of fraudulent claims of disability, and recovering from her miscarriage. She is also learning more about Tamsin and her husband. She meets two new members of the Shakespeare police force: Detectives Alicia Stokes and Gerry McClanahan.

This is the last volume in the series so far. Although the storyline continues to be interesting, the author is probably too busy with the [[ASIN:0441008534 Southern Vampire]] series to write another tale about Lily Bard. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended to Harris fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of intentional murders, psychological problems, and curious women. For anyone not familiar with this series, the initial volume is [[ASIN:0425206866 Shakespeare's Landlord]].

-Bill Jordin

I love Lily! and Charlaine Harris! This series is so great! I never even read mysteries before these books!! I wish Ms. Harris would write more Lily books!

I have had all the Lily Bard series sitting on my shelf for over a year and just kept putting off reading them, which is strange since I just love the Sookie Stackhouse books. Now I've finally read them and what a surprise -they are all terrific. Shakespeare's Counselor is the last one Charlaine Harris has written (and it is possibly the last one according to her website)and it is a fast paced , quirky , intelligent story with great characters and plot. Do not put off reading these books !! Lily is very different from Sookie , but just as captivating . I read all 5 books in 2 days and I'm so sorry that I did not read them sooner.
Now I'm going to read all her other books.

READ THE ENTIRE SERIES