This book is a great fast, fun summer read. The main character is a substitute teacher who has a small dog - so I can relate to her! The quizzes about subs at the beginning of every chapter are hilarious (especially to a teacher)! ( )

I enjoyed this book for the most part. I started out liking the "quizzes" at the beginning of each chapter but they lost their luster eventually. Barbara Reed is down on her luck. She is divorced from a slime and recently lost her job so she is now substitute teaching. When one of the full-time teachers is killed and Barbara finds him she finds herself involved and is determined to stay out of it. That is, unless she is accused of the murder, then she will have to work to solve the murder. There are some great characters here, the victim is the epitome of a rotten teacher and human being, Barbara's neighbor is a retired show girl who's dead husband was "connected", and Barbara's sister and ex-husband both show up to complicate her life. The tales of life as a substitute teacher are both true to life and horrifying.

I was a little concerned that Barbara would be a doormat, and she does start out that way, but she works herself up to not feeling so sorry for herself at all times with the help of both her neighbor and her sister. The dog, Cheese Puff, helps too.

A good mystery that I didn't even come close to figuring out, which makes it fun for me. ( )