Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
 Imaginative July 17, 2008
I read this book because I've met Mike in some fiction-writing circles in the Denver area. I started this book and kept right on reading (easily) because of the snappy dialogue and steady energy on the page. I'm more prone to like darker mysteries and this does lean in the "cozy" direction but the Paul Jacobson character is a tough, irascible and crotchety guy to be around so the plot kept me going. I was also intrigued at how Befeler would pull off the challenging trick of staying consistent day after day with Jacobson, who never remembers what happened the day before (though his memory provides access to events from the far past). Like the movie "Groundhog Day," Befeler found a way to keep the cycle from going old or stale. Finally, kudos for using a retirement home as a setting for so much "action" (of all kinds). That was an imaginative and well-executed choice.
 vivian goodman June 5, 2008
This is the first of a series by this author and it is great. It is funny, enjoyable read. I am really looking forward to the next issure in this series.
retirement homes are murder May 30, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Mike really knows how it is to get older, but in spite of memory loss, still wise. His understanding of the Hawaii scene is outstanding, and historically relevent items are snuck in , only recognizable to a Honolulu native. I look forward to more of his work.
Geezer lit mystery for baby boomers April 29, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Reviewed by Mary Greenwood for Reader Views (4/07)
In "Retirement Homes are Murder" by Mike Befeler, Paul Jacobson, a widower who lives in an Assisted Living Facility, finds a dead body in the trash chute. Paul is the number one suspect and it is imperative that he find out who the real killer is before the real murderer kills him. Since Paul has short-term memory loss, he must write up the day's events each night and leave the journal where he will see it the next day so that when he gets up, he can refresh his memory. Although this slows him down, he is still able to do his detective work and find out who the real killer is. "Retirement Homes Are Murder" is very funny as it weaves the frailties of aging, such as dementia and incontinence, with adventure, mystery and romance.
The author, Mike Befeler, started writing fiction after a career in high technology marketing. His short story "Never Trust a Poison Dart Frog" was published in the mystery anthology "Who Died in Here?" and was also submitted for Edgar Award consideration. "Retirement Homes Are Murder" is Mr. Befeler's first novel and he is planning on writing six more in this series with Paul Jacobson as the protagonist. Mr. Beheler calls his genre "geezer lit mysteries," which are at the opposite end of the spectrum as chick-lit. [...]
Paul Jacobson, the geezer protagonist, must solve the murder mystery and deal with the obstacles of aging. One of the most humorous aspects of the book is that when he romances Marion, his new girlfriend, he temporarily revives his short term memory. Paul Jacobson enlists the aid of three geezers as well as his granddaughter in his various capers. As baby boomers themselves age, it makes sense that they would be interested in geezer retiree protagonists.
My parents, 92 and 90, live in an Assisted Living Facility and many of the scenes and characters in "Retirement Homes Are Murder" are familiar ones. I recommend "Retirement Homes Are Murder" to anyone over 50 and look forward to Mr. Befeler's next six novels with Paul Jacobson's geezer adventures.
What do you get when you mix... March 19, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Old geezers, murder, stamps, and a Heniken bottle? An interesting story that keeps you guessing about what's for dinner and what the hell happened the day before... Mike Beffler does a great job moving the story along (not easy for old folks...)and has created a character in Paul Jacobson that is so crotchety that he keeps getting himself into trouble. An easy read that makes you think twice before you use a trash chute.
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