Note: This review was originally written for inclusion in The Season E-Zine's January mystery section.
Murder Hooks a Mermaid by Christy Fifield
Berkley Prime Crime (304 pages)
December 31, 2012
Rating: 3.5/5 (Good) (The Season's rating scale now runs from 1 to 5.)
For fans of: Lorraine Bartlett
When Glory Martine inherited a 55% share of her Uncle Louis’ souvenir shop, Southern Treasures, she didn’t realize she’d also be inheriting the ghost of her Uncle Louis. Or that Uncle Louis’ ghost would opt to communicate with her via the shop’s mascot, a potty-mouthed parrot named Bluebird. Quirks be damned though, Glory’s proud of what she’s been able to do with her new business, and is determined to make a go of things in her old hometown of Keyhole Bay.
Spring break is right around the corner, which means Glory should be dedicating all her free time to preparing for the inevitable influx of tourists. Instead, she’s stuck trying to help her best friend Karen clear the name of Karen’s former brother-in-law Bobby, who’s been arrested for murder. It’s pretty clear Bobby’s been set up – but by who and why?
Murder Hooks a Mermaid is the second in Christy Fifield’s Haunted Souvenir Shop Mystery series, and it’s a bit of a slow burn. I actually wasn’t quite sure what I thought of this book for the first hundred pages or so; the setup is clunky, the story has no real sense of place, and Fifield doesn’t do a great job of establishing the stakes. You never get to know murder suspect Bobby (in fact, I don’t even remember meeting him), which makes it difficult to care whether he’s been wrongfully accused or will be wrongfully convicted, and the pace starts off a bit slow. The premise is quirky and unique, though (the idea of a haunted parrot amuses the heck out of me), and in Glory, Fifield has created a heroine for whom you can’t help but root, so I stuck with it. And I have to tell you, I’m glad that I did.
Yes, some of the supporting characters feel a bit flat, but the book’s key players – namely Glory, Karen, and Glory’s love interest, Jake – are entertaining and well drawn. The friendship between Glory and Karen rings true, and Fifield does a great job fleshing out the developing relationship between Glory and Jake. The mystery is clever (if a little predictable), and once the action and drama pick up in the third act, the story really sucks you in.
Final verdict? If you’re looking for a fun and easy read (now with bonus haunted parrot!), check out Murder Hooks a Mermaid by Christy Fifield. It’s not going to change the way you view crime fiction or anything, but it’s certainly an enjoyable way to pass an afternoon.
-Kat
Showing posts with label The Season Reviews (reposts). Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Season Reviews (reposts). Show all posts
REVIEW: Fonduing Fathers
Note: This review was originally written for inclusion in The Season E-Zine's January mystery section.
Fonduing Fathers by Julie Hyzy
Berkley Prime Crime (304 pages)
December 31, 2012
Rating: 4.5/5 (Amazing) (The Season's rating scale now runs from 1 to 5.)
For fans of: Diane Mott Davidson
White House Executive Chef Olivia “Ollie” Paras is no stranger to danger, drama, and intrigue; in the past few years, she’s helped foil terrorist plots, thwart assassination attempts, and has even survived a kidnapping. But none of the crazy situations she’s faced while in the employ of the First Family has sufficiently prepared her for her latest adventure: the quest to learn the truth about her father, Anthony Paras, who died when Ollie was just a child.
You’d think it’d be easy for someone with Ollie’s connections to gain access to the information she seeks; unfortunately, though, every answer she procures only raises more questions. Was her father really the victim of a homicide, and not an accident as she’d been led to believe? If so, who killed him, and why? And if her father truly was dishonorably discharged from the military, how did he end up buried in Arlington? Can Ollie get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Anthony’s death – or is she doomed to fall prey to the same criminals who claimed his life?
Fonduing Fathers is the sixth of Julie Hyzy’s superlative White House Chef Mysteries, and it’s a riveting read from cover to cover. Hyzy quickly and efficiently establishes the mood, setting, and stakes for her tale, and then goes on to build one heckuva fabulous puzzle. Twists, turns, clever clues, and expertly deployed red herrings – Fonduing Fathers has it all and then some, the end result being (as per Hyzy’s usual) an elevation of the genre and one of the best books I’ve read this year.
In a break from form for the series, Ollie actually spends most of the book outside the confines of the White House; I’m happy to report, though, that Fonduing Fathers is no less thrilling for it. Because the subject of this particular mystery is so personal to Ollie, she’s even more invested in seeing it through to its conclusion. Ollie’s always had moxie; it’s one of her most endearing qualities. But the Ollie of this book is not only tenacious, but, for the first time, she’s angry, too, and this fire only serves to make her all the more compelling and relatable.
That’s not to say, however, that our heroine’s gone hard; to the contrary, Fonduing Fathers offers readers the chance to see Ollie at her warmest and most tender, as well. Her developing rapport with First Kid Josh will warm the cockles of even the hardest of hearts, and the chemistry Hyzy’s cooked up between Ollie and Secret Service Agent Leonard “Gav” Gavin is nothing short of stellar. The couple’s romance has been progressing for at least a couple of books now, but it really comes into its own here. Gav’s the Frank Hardy to Ollie’s Nancy Drew (oh, c'mon – they were SO TOTALLY a thing). He treats her like a partner and a respected equal, which is a refreshing change from the stereotypical cozy (but then, nothing Hyzy does is stereotypical), and I, for one, can’t wait to see what the future has in store for these two.
-Kat
Fonduing Fathers by Julie Hyzy
Berkley Prime Crime (304 pages)
December 31, 2012
Rating: 4.5/5 (Amazing) (The Season's rating scale now runs from 1 to 5.)
For fans of: Diane Mott Davidson
White House Executive Chef Olivia “Ollie” Paras is no stranger to danger, drama, and intrigue; in the past few years, she’s helped foil terrorist plots, thwart assassination attempts, and has even survived a kidnapping. But none of the crazy situations she’s faced while in the employ of the First Family has sufficiently prepared her for her latest adventure: the quest to learn the truth about her father, Anthony Paras, who died when Ollie was just a child.
You’d think it’d be easy for someone with Ollie’s connections to gain access to the information she seeks; unfortunately, though, every answer she procures only raises more questions. Was her father really the victim of a homicide, and not an accident as she’d been led to believe? If so, who killed him, and why? And if her father truly was dishonorably discharged from the military, how did he end up buried in Arlington? Can Ollie get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Anthony’s death – or is she doomed to fall prey to the same criminals who claimed his life?
Fonduing Fathers is the sixth of Julie Hyzy’s superlative White House Chef Mysteries, and it’s a riveting read from cover to cover. Hyzy quickly and efficiently establishes the mood, setting, and stakes for her tale, and then goes on to build one heckuva fabulous puzzle. Twists, turns, clever clues, and expertly deployed red herrings – Fonduing Fathers has it all and then some, the end result being (as per Hyzy’s usual) an elevation of the genre and one of the best books I’ve read this year.
In a break from form for the series, Ollie actually spends most of the book outside the confines of the White House; I’m happy to report, though, that Fonduing Fathers is no less thrilling for it. Because the subject of this particular mystery is so personal to Ollie, she’s even more invested in seeing it through to its conclusion. Ollie’s always had moxie; it’s one of her most endearing qualities. But the Ollie of this book is not only tenacious, but, for the first time, she’s angry, too, and this fire only serves to make her all the more compelling and relatable.
That’s not to say, however, that our heroine’s gone hard; to the contrary, Fonduing Fathers offers readers the chance to see Ollie at her warmest and most tender, as well. Her developing rapport with First Kid Josh will warm the cockles of even the hardest of hearts, and the chemistry Hyzy’s cooked up between Ollie and Secret Service Agent Leonard “Gav” Gavin is nothing short of stellar. The couple’s romance has been progressing for at least a couple of books now, but it really comes into its own here. Gav’s the Frank Hardy to Ollie’s Nancy Drew (oh, c'mon – they were SO TOTALLY a thing). He treats her like a partner and a respected equal, which is a refreshing change from the stereotypical cozy (but then, nothing Hyzy does is stereotypical), and I, for one, can’t wait to see what the future has in store for these two.
-Kat
REVIEW: What a Ghoul Wants
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's January mystery section.
What a Ghoul Wants by Victoria Laurie
Obsidian (352 pages)
December 24, 2012
Rating: 4.5/5 (Amazing) (The Season's rating scale now runs from 1 to 5.)
For fans of: Juliet Blackwell
Ghost hunters M.J. Holliday and Heath Whitefeather have traveled all over the world filming their reality television show, Ghoul Getters. They’ve visited some incredibly creepy locations and faced down some extraordinarily powerful spirits, but none of their experiences has sufficiently prepared them for their current project: a shoot at Kidwella Castle in northern Wales.
Kidwella is haunted by a number of spooks, but perhaps the most legendary is the one known as the Grim Widow. The Grim Widow is a ghost so dangerous she’s rumored to have claimed nearly a dozen lives in the past forty years – and it seems she has no intention of retiring anytime soon, as a body is found floating in the moat soon after the crew arrives. Their very first encounter with the phantom proves to M.J. and Heath that the Grim Widow's not only real, but is even more malevolent than they were led to believe. But is she actually responsible for all of Kidwella’s corpses – or is a flesh-and-blood killer using her for cover?
What a Ghoul Wants is the seventh of Victoria Laurie's fabulously entertaining Ghost Hunter Mysteries. Laurie's among my very favorite authors and this is my favorite of her two series, so I'm happy to report that What a Ghoul Wants doesn't disappoint. I've always been a sucker for a good ghost story, and What a Ghoul Wants is certainly that. The woman knows how to bring the creepy; the spectral encounters she writes are the stuff of nightmares – what you desperately hope for when you tune in to an actual ghost-hunting reality show, but unfortunately never get. She has a genuine talent for creating unique spirits with compelling origin stories and then using those creations to scare the crap out of her characters and her readers, alike.
That said, What a Ghoul Wants isn’t all thrills and chills; it’s as much a cleverly plotted mystery as it is a ghost story, and there’s plenty of humor and goofy charm to be found here, as well. The setup is marvelous, the pace is quick, and the stakes are high; Laurie wastes no time plunging you straight into the center of the action and doesn't pause to let you catch your breath until she’s got you good and hooked. This is the kind of book you consider calling in sick just to read, and it will pain you to put it down in between sittings.
The characters are fantastic to a one. I adore M.J. as a heroine; she’s strong, smart, loyal, brave, and incredibly resourceful. She’s also doggedly determined without being reckless, and that’s a rare trait amongst traditional mystery heroines. For his part, Heath is both a perfect partner and a perfect love interest (and a darned intriguing character in his own right), and the developing relationship between he and M.J. just serves to make the two of them even more likable. Best friend, technical advisor, and all-around-scaredy-cat Gilley is, as usual, completely over the top, but he's great comic relief. And bit player Inspector Lumley very nearly steals the show. He flies in the face of everything you've come to expect from a traditional mystery cop, and his presence adds a goodly amount of heart to the tale, as well.
The upshot? Buy this book. Buy it now. Who needs Dickens and his lame assorted Christmas ghosts when you've got Victoria Laurie and her merry band of ghostbusters?
-Kat
What a Ghoul Wants by Victoria Laurie
Obsidian (352 pages)
December 24, 2012
Rating: 4.5/5 (Amazing) (The Season's rating scale now runs from 1 to 5.)
For fans of: Juliet Blackwell
Ghost hunters M.J. Holliday and Heath Whitefeather have traveled all over the world filming their reality television show, Ghoul Getters. They’ve visited some incredibly creepy locations and faced down some extraordinarily powerful spirits, but none of their experiences has sufficiently prepared them for their current project: a shoot at Kidwella Castle in northern Wales.
Kidwella is haunted by a number of spooks, but perhaps the most legendary is the one known as the Grim Widow. The Grim Widow is a ghost so dangerous she’s rumored to have claimed nearly a dozen lives in the past forty years – and it seems she has no intention of retiring anytime soon, as a body is found floating in the moat soon after the crew arrives. Their very first encounter with the phantom proves to M.J. and Heath that the Grim Widow's not only real, but is even more malevolent than they were led to believe. But is she actually responsible for all of Kidwella’s corpses – or is a flesh-and-blood killer using her for cover?
What a Ghoul Wants is the seventh of Victoria Laurie's fabulously entertaining Ghost Hunter Mysteries. Laurie's among my very favorite authors and this is my favorite of her two series, so I'm happy to report that What a Ghoul Wants doesn't disappoint. I've always been a sucker for a good ghost story, and What a Ghoul Wants is certainly that. The woman knows how to bring the creepy; the spectral encounters she writes are the stuff of nightmares – what you desperately hope for when you tune in to an actual ghost-hunting reality show, but unfortunately never get. She has a genuine talent for creating unique spirits with compelling origin stories and then using those creations to scare the crap out of her characters and her readers, alike.
That said, What a Ghoul Wants isn’t all thrills and chills; it’s as much a cleverly plotted mystery as it is a ghost story, and there’s plenty of humor and goofy charm to be found here, as well. The setup is marvelous, the pace is quick, and the stakes are high; Laurie wastes no time plunging you straight into the center of the action and doesn't pause to let you catch your breath until she’s got you good and hooked. This is the kind of book you consider calling in sick just to read, and it will pain you to put it down in between sittings.
The characters are fantastic to a one. I adore M.J. as a heroine; she’s strong, smart, loyal, brave, and incredibly resourceful. She’s also doggedly determined without being reckless, and that’s a rare trait amongst traditional mystery heroines. For his part, Heath is both a perfect partner and a perfect love interest (and a darned intriguing character in his own right), and the developing relationship between he and M.J. just serves to make the two of them even more likable. Best friend, technical advisor, and all-around-scaredy-cat Gilley is, as usual, completely over the top, but he's great comic relief. And bit player Inspector Lumley very nearly steals the show. He flies in the face of everything you've come to expect from a traditional mystery cop, and his presence adds a goodly amount of heart to the tale, as well.
The upshot? Buy this book. Buy it now. Who needs Dickens and his lame assorted Christmas ghosts when you've got Victoria Laurie and her merry band of ghostbusters?
-Kat
REVIEW: The Diva Digs Up the Dirt
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's June mystery section.
The Diva Digs Up the Dirt by Krista Davis
Berkley Prime Crime (290 pages)
June 5, 2012
Rating: 5/5 (Chart Topper) (The Season's rating scale now runs from 1 to 5.)
For fans of: Diane Mott Davidson
Domestic diva Sophie Winston knows that her boyfriend, Detective Wolf Fleishman, used to be married. She also knows that Wolf's wife Anne disappeared without a trace four years ago, and that a lot of people – many of them fellow cops – believe Wolf was responsible for that disappearance. But Wolf insists Anne left of her own accord, and Sophie believes him; Anne's body's never turned up, Wolf was never charged with any crime, and most importantly, Sophie knows that Wolf is incapable of murder, so she's never felt unsafe in his company, nor has she ever doubted his innocence.
But then one afternoon she slips into Wolf's backyard to surprise him by planting a rosebush and instead unearths Anne's purse, and everything changes. Thanks to her discovery, Wolf is once more the center of a homicide investigation. Sophie’s still relatively certain her boyfriend’s not a criminal – but why would any woman bury her own wallet in the ground before leaving town? Sophie can't seek solace in her party-planning work, because all hell has broken loose on her current job and someone appears to be trying to poison her clients. And then there's the small matter of the home improvement show her friend Natasha’s sicced on her quiet little refuge of a backyard...
The Diva Digs Up the Dirt is the sixth in Krista Davis' Domestic Diva Mysteries, and it's one heck of a fantastic read. Davis’ latest fires on all cylinders; the plot is tight, the setup is smart, and the mystery is rich and multi-layered and really will keep you guessing until the very end. The pacing is perfect and she sets just the right mood and tone in every scene, knowing exactly when to undercut heavy with humor and when it’s better just to let a serious moment stand. The book has a strong sense of place, and her characters are so strongly developed and skillfully drawn they practically come to life on the page.
Sophie is one of my absolute favorite traditional mystery heroines. She’s smart, she’s kind, she’s funny, and she’s strong, and she has a down-to-earth quality about her that makes her incredibly relatable. She has a fantastic narrative voice that sucks you in and forces you to become emotionally invested in the tale she’s telling. The relationships she shares with her neighbors, friends, and even her clients all feel genuine and earned, and each adds something unique and worthwhile to the story. In particular, her rivalry (and reluctant friendship) with the high-energy, high-maintenance Natasha adds the perfect amount of comic relief to an otherwise intense plot. And the way Davis paints Sophie’s relationship with Wolf in this book is nothing short of brilliant. She loves him and is determined to do everything in her power to save him, but the fact that she’s uncertain as to the truth surrounding his wife’s disappearance, coupled with the fact that he refuses to even discuss the matter with her, makes it exceedingly difficult for her to determine what’s a help and what’s a hindrance. Regardless, her dogged determination to do what’s right in the face of her certainty that the outcome of the police investigation will ultimately have a serious impact on her future with Wolf adds layers of intensity, uncertainly, and melancholy you don’t often find in a traditional mystery.
The fact that the B-story involving her rich, crazy, back-stabbing, poison-happy clients is just as complex and wonderfully developed as the mystery surrounding Wolf and Anne is just icing on the cake.
I’ve long been a fan of Krista Davis’ Domestic Diva Mysteries, and The Diva Digs Up the Dirt is without a doubt the finest installment thus far. Buy it, read it, love it.
-Kat
The Diva Digs Up the Dirt by Krista Davis
Berkley Prime Crime (290 pages)
June 5, 2012
Rating: 5/5 (Chart Topper) (The Season's rating scale now runs from 1 to 5.)
For fans of: Diane Mott Davidson
Domestic diva Sophie Winston knows that her boyfriend, Detective Wolf Fleishman, used to be married. She also knows that Wolf's wife Anne disappeared without a trace four years ago, and that a lot of people – many of them fellow cops – believe Wolf was responsible for that disappearance. But Wolf insists Anne left of her own accord, and Sophie believes him; Anne's body's never turned up, Wolf was never charged with any crime, and most importantly, Sophie knows that Wolf is incapable of murder, so she's never felt unsafe in his company, nor has she ever doubted his innocence.
But then one afternoon she slips into Wolf's backyard to surprise him by planting a rosebush and instead unearths Anne's purse, and everything changes. Thanks to her discovery, Wolf is once more the center of a homicide investigation. Sophie’s still relatively certain her boyfriend’s not a criminal – but why would any woman bury her own wallet in the ground before leaving town? Sophie can't seek solace in her party-planning work, because all hell has broken loose on her current job and someone appears to be trying to poison her clients. And then there's the small matter of the home improvement show her friend Natasha’s sicced on her quiet little refuge of a backyard...
The Diva Digs Up the Dirt is the sixth in Krista Davis' Domestic Diva Mysteries, and it's one heck of a fantastic read. Davis’ latest fires on all cylinders; the plot is tight, the setup is smart, and the mystery is rich and multi-layered and really will keep you guessing until the very end. The pacing is perfect and she sets just the right mood and tone in every scene, knowing exactly when to undercut heavy with humor and when it’s better just to let a serious moment stand. The book has a strong sense of place, and her characters are so strongly developed and skillfully drawn they practically come to life on the page.
Sophie is one of my absolute favorite traditional mystery heroines. She’s smart, she’s kind, she’s funny, and she’s strong, and she has a down-to-earth quality about her that makes her incredibly relatable. She has a fantastic narrative voice that sucks you in and forces you to become emotionally invested in the tale she’s telling. The relationships she shares with her neighbors, friends, and even her clients all feel genuine and earned, and each adds something unique and worthwhile to the story. In particular, her rivalry (and reluctant friendship) with the high-energy, high-maintenance Natasha adds the perfect amount of comic relief to an otherwise intense plot. And the way Davis paints Sophie’s relationship with Wolf in this book is nothing short of brilliant. She loves him and is determined to do everything in her power to save him, but the fact that she’s uncertain as to the truth surrounding his wife’s disappearance, coupled with the fact that he refuses to even discuss the matter with her, makes it exceedingly difficult for her to determine what’s a help and what’s a hindrance. Regardless, her dogged determination to do what’s right in the face of her certainty that the outcome of the police investigation will ultimately have a serious impact on her future with Wolf adds layers of intensity, uncertainly, and melancholy you don’t often find in a traditional mystery.
The fact that the B-story involving her rich, crazy, back-stabbing, poison-happy clients is just as complex and wonderfully developed as the mystery surrounding Wolf and Anne is just icing on the cake.
I’ve long been a fan of Krista Davis’ Domestic Diva Mysteries, and The Diva Digs Up the Dirt is without a doubt the finest installment thus far. Buy it, read it, love it.
-Kat
REVIEW: Murder for Choir
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's July mystery section.
Murder for Choir by Joelle Charbonneau
Berkley Prime Crime (July 3, 2012)
304 pages
Rating: 4.5/5 (Amazing) (The Season's rating scale now runs from 1 to 5)
For fans of: Diane Kelly, Wendy Lynn Watson
Paige Marshall is a struggling opera singer. A struggling, out-of-work opera singer with bills to pay, to be more precise. Which means that until her manager can find her a paying gig, she's stuck living with her Aunt Millie in Lake Forest, Illinois and coaching the Prospect Glen High School show choir. The job should be easy money, but unfortunately for Paige, it’s anything but; her students neither like her nor have any confidence in her ability to lead them to the championships, and her co-coach, Larry DeWeese, is utterly lacking in creativity and completely intimidated by Greg Lucas, the slimy, egotistical coach of their show choir rivals from North Shore High.
Paige is determined to win over the kids and lead them to victory – or, at the very least, to make a go of it until something better comes along – but then Greg Lucas is found dead, a microphone cord wrapped around his neck, and she’s forced to wonder just how much more impossible that task can become. Not only is Prospect Glen’s best male singer at the top of the police’s suspect list, but Paige’s co-coach has been acting awfully suspicious, as well. Paige knows Prospect Glen doesn’t stand a chance of winning this year if either man winds up behind bars (and she’s pretty sure neither of them is a murderer), so she decides to do some digging and solve Greg’s murder herself. That should win her brownie points with her students, right? If her investigation doesn’t get her killed first, that is…
Murder for Choir is the first of Joelle Charbonneau’s Glee Club Mysteries, and if the debut is any indication, Berkley’s got a winner of a series on their hands. Charbonneau writes with a young, hip voice that’s witty, engaging, and perfectly suited to the story she’s telling. The book has a strong narrative drive and the prose has a snappy, staccato rhythm to it that keeps the pace moving right along. The setup is fun; the mystery is cleverly constructed with viable suspects, clues, and red herrings galore; and the book manages to be riotously funny without falling into farce, which is no mean feat. The book contains just enough music and show choir references to earn its theme, but not so many as to turn off the non-musically-inclined among us; Glee, it’s not (and that’s a good thing).
Charbonneau’s character work is strong, as well. Paige is everything you could hope for in a leading lady. Strong, smart, funny, and charmingly self-deprecating, she’s the kind of character you’d happily befriend if you met her in real life, and her sweetly antagonistic relationship with her Aunt Millie's misanthropic poodle, Killer, is both hilarious and heartwarming. Aunt Millie is a hoot and a half, and (like her poodle) adds equal measures of heart and comic relief to the story. Curmudgeonly Detective Mike Kaiser and rakish drama teacher Devlyn O’Shea make for compelling potential love interests, and the triangle developing between the two of them and Paige promises to provide no shortage of drama for books to come. And poor Larry manages to be at once pathetic and threatening – an entertaining and unexpected combination in a murder suspect, to be sure.
Like a little harmony and humor with your homicide? You’ve found your match in Joelle Charbonneau’s Murder for Choir; it’s heckuva fun read, and a great way to kick off your summer reading season.
Murder for Choir by Joelle Charbonneau
Berkley Prime Crime (July 3, 2012)
304 pages
Rating: 4.5/5 (Amazing) (The Season's rating scale now runs from 1 to 5)
For fans of: Diane Kelly, Wendy Lynn Watson
Paige Marshall is a struggling opera singer. A struggling, out-of-work opera singer with bills to pay, to be more precise. Which means that until her manager can find her a paying gig, she's stuck living with her Aunt Millie in Lake Forest, Illinois and coaching the Prospect Glen High School show choir. The job should be easy money, but unfortunately for Paige, it’s anything but; her students neither like her nor have any confidence in her ability to lead them to the championships, and her co-coach, Larry DeWeese, is utterly lacking in creativity and completely intimidated by Greg Lucas, the slimy, egotistical coach of their show choir rivals from North Shore High.
Paige is determined to win over the kids and lead them to victory – or, at the very least, to make a go of it until something better comes along – but then Greg Lucas is found dead, a microphone cord wrapped around his neck, and she’s forced to wonder just how much more impossible that task can become. Not only is Prospect Glen’s best male singer at the top of the police’s suspect list, but Paige’s co-coach has been acting awfully suspicious, as well. Paige knows Prospect Glen doesn’t stand a chance of winning this year if either man winds up behind bars (and she’s pretty sure neither of them is a murderer), so she decides to do some digging and solve Greg’s murder herself. That should win her brownie points with her students, right? If her investigation doesn’t get her killed first, that is…
Murder for Choir is the first of Joelle Charbonneau’s Glee Club Mysteries, and if the debut is any indication, Berkley’s got a winner of a series on their hands. Charbonneau writes with a young, hip voice that’s witty, engaging, and perfectly suited to the story she’s telling. The book has a strong narrative drive and the prose has a snappy, staccato rhythm to it that keeps the pace moving right along. The setup is fun; the mystery is cleverly constructed with viable suspects, clues, and red herrings galore; and the book manages to be riotously funny without falling into farce, which is no mean feat. The book contains just enough music and show choir references to earn its theme, but not so many as to turn off the non-musically-inclined among us; Glee, it’s not (and that’s a good thing).
Charbonneau’s character work is strong, as well. Paige is everything you could hope for in a leading lady. Strong, smart, funny, and charmingly self-deprecating, she’s the kind of character you’d happily befriend if you met her in real life, and her sweetly antagonistic relationship with her Aunt Millie's misanthropic poodle, Killer, is both hilarious and heartwarming. Aunt Millie is a hoot and a half, and (like her poodle) adds equal measures of heart and comic relief to the story. Curmudgeonly Detective Mike Kaiser and rakish drama teacher Devlyn O’Shea make for compelling potential love interests, and the triangle developing between the two of them and Paige promises to provide no shortage of drama for books to come. And poor Larry manages to be at once pathetic and threatening – an entertaining and unexpected combination in a murder suspect, to be sure.
Like a little harmony and humor with your homicide? You’ve found your match in Joelle Charbonneau’s Murder for Choir; it’s heckuva fun read, and a great way to kick off your summer reading season.
REVIEW: A Taste of the Nightlife
Note: This review originally appeared in the The Season E-Zine's July mystery section.
A Taste of the Nightlife by Sarah Zettel
Obsidian, July 2011
Rating: 8 (Very Good) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
For fans of: Juliet Blackwell and Charlaine Harris
Nightlife isn’t exactly your typical fine-dining establishment. The restaurant, run by Chef Charlotte Caine and her blood-sucking brother Chet, is one of the few places in New York where humans and vampires can not only dine together, but where a portion of the menu is catered specifically toward vampires. Nightlife is still relatively new on scene and has yet to actually turn a profit, so when undead food critic Anatole Sevarin shows up one night to dine, Charlotte and Chet set about trying to make sure Sevarin has a perfect evening; after all, a good review from him could make or break them. But then a drunk wizard stumbles in, tries to pick a fight with a vampire at table two, and nearly sets the restaurant on fire. The sprinklers engage, the restaurant empties, and their chance to impress the critic goes up in smoke.
To make matters worse, the next morning Charlotte shows up for work only to discover the scene-causing sorcerer from the night before drained of blood and lying on the restaurant floor. Nightlife’s declared a crime scene, and once the police discover Chet’s the only vampire with after-hours access to Nightlife, they haul him off for questioning. Charlotte believes her brother’s innocent of the crime, but she’s equally sure he’s hiding something from her. He may not be a murderer, but is he the reason a dead body was dumped at their door? Until the mystery is solved, it’s unlikely the police will allow Nightlife to reopen. Can Charlotte exonerate her brother and catch the real killer in time to save her beloved restaurant, or will she fall victim herself?
A Taste of the Nightlife is the first in author Sarah Zettel’s new Vampire Chef Mystery series. I admit, for the first 100 pages or so, I wasn’t quite sure what I thought of this book; the start is a little rocky, due in large part to the excessively detailed, info-dump-y manner in which Zettel introduces the reader to rules of Charlotte’s universe. Once Zettel gets past the formalities, however, she seems to find her flow, and the story just takes off from there. The premise is unique and fun, the plot is intricate and clever, and the mystery is sure to keep you guessing until the very end. Zettel has a young, hip writing style and an easy way with snarky dialogue, both of which to help set her apart from the other authors in her genre.
Charlotte’s an incredibly likable heroine for whom readers will want to root; strong, witty, and independent with a good head on her shoulders, she’s more than capable of carrying a series. Her emotions and interactions with other characters feel genuine, and they serve to not only further the plot, but to add depth and complexity to her personality, as well.
Zettel also does a good job of fleshing out the other characters who populate her book. Sorcerer-slash-sidekick-slash-knight-in-shining armor Brendan Maddox is a perfect love interest, and the chemistry between he and Charlotte positively sizzles. Chet is perfect as the screw-up brother whom Charlotte loves, but feels a constant need to protect. And Charlotte’s roommates, cosmetics saleswoman Jess and lawyer Trish, help to ground the story in reality and provide a nice counterpoint to all of the crazy supernatural high jinks that otherwise characterize Charlotte’s life. Zettel’s only real failure, character-wise, is restaurant critic Anatole Sevarin. Don’t get me wrong – I find Anatole intriguing, but despite her best efforts, I just don’t think Zettel successfully sells him as a potential love interest for Charlotte. She seems to have been aiming for someone akin to Charlaine Harris’ Eric, but I have a hard time not picturing him as Bela Lugosi. (A very smart, charming, and debonair Bela Lugosi, but still.) For this reason, Zettel’s attempts to fashion a burgeoning love triangle between Charlotte, Anatole, and Brendan fall kind of flat.
A Taste of the Nightlife ends so strongly and on such sure footing that I was very tempted to give it a nine; ultimately, however, the weak start dragged the score down to a very high eight. That said, I have incredibly high hopes for the series, and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun summer read.
A Taste of the Nightlife by Sarah Zettel
Obsidian, July 2011
Rating: 8 (Very Good) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
For fans of: Juliet Blackwell and Charlaine Harris
Nightlife isn’t exactly your typical fine-dining establishment. The restaurant, run by Chef Charlotte Caine and her blood-sucking brother Chet, is one of the few places in New York where humans and vampires can not only dine together, but where a portion of the menu is catered specifically toward vampires. Nightlife is still relatively new on scene and has yet to actually turn a profit, so when undead food critic Anatole Sevarin shows up one night to dine, Charlotte and Chet set about trying to make sure Sevarin has a perfect evening; after all, a good review from him could make or break them. But then a drunk wizard stumbles in, tries to pick a fight with a vampire at table two, and nearly sets the restaurant on fire. The sprinklers engage, the restaurant empties, and their chance to impress the critic goes up in smoke.
To make matters worse, the next morning Charlotte shows up for work only to discover the scene-causing sorcerer from the night before drained of blood and lying on the restaurant floor. Nightlife’s declared a crime scene, and once the police discover Chet’s the only vampire with after-hours access to Nightlife, they haul him off for questioning. Charlotte believes her brother’s innocent of the crime, but she’s equally sure he’s hiding something from her. He may not be a murderer, but is he the reason a dead body was dumped at their door? Until the mystery is solved, it’s unlikely the police will allow Nightlife to reopen. Can Charlotte exonerate her brother and catch the real killer in time to save her beloved restaurant, or will she fall victim herself?
A Taste of the Nightlife is the first in author Sarah Zettel’s new Vampire Chef Mystery series. I admit, for the first 100 pages or so, I wasn’t quite sure what I thought of this book; the start is a little rocky, due in large part to the excessively detailed, info-dump-y manner in which Zettel introduces the reader to rules of Charlotte’s universe. Once Zettel gets past the formalities, however, she seems to find her flow, and the story just takes off from there. The premise is unique and fun, the plot is intricate and clever, and the mystery is sure to keep you guessing until the very end. Zettel has a young, hip writing style and an easy way with snarky dialogue, both of which to help set her apart from the other authors in her genre.
Charlotte’s an incredibly likable heroine for whom readers will want to root; strong, witty, and independent with a good head on her shoulders, she’s more than capable of carrying a series. Her emotions and interactions with other characters feel genuine, and they serve to not only further the plot, but to add depth and complexity to her personality, as well.
Zettel also does a good job of fleshing out the other characters who populate her book. Sorcerer-slash-sidekick-slash-knight-in-shining armor Brendan Maddox is a perfect love interest, and the chemistry between he and Charlotte positively sizzles. Chet is perfect as the screw-up brother whom Charlotte loves, but feels a constant need to protect. And Charlotte’s roommates, cosmetics saleswoman Jess and lawyer Trish, help to ground the story in reality and provide a nice counterpoint to all of the crazy supernatural high jinks that otherwise characterize Charlotte’s life. Zettel’s only real failure, character-wise, is restaurant critic Anatole Sevarin. Don’t get me wrong – I find Anatole intriguing, but despite her best efforts, I just don’t think Zettel successfully sells him as a potential love interest for Charlotte. She seems to have been aiming for someone akin to Charlaine Harris’ Eric, but I have a hard time not picturing him as Bela Lugosi. (A very smart, charming, and debonair Bela Lugosi, but still.) For this reason, Zettel’s attempts to fashion a burgeoning love triangle between Charlotte, Anatole, and Brendan fall kind of flat.
A Taste of the Nightlife ends so strongly and on such sure footing that I was very tempted to give it a nine; ultimately, however, the weak start dragged the score down to a very high eight. That said, I have incredibly high hopes for the series, and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun summer read.
REVIEW: A Parfait Murder
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's June mystery section.
A Parfait Murder by Wendy Lyn Watson
Obsidian, June 2011
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10)
For fans of: Donna Andrews and Madelyn Alt
Tallulah "Tally" Jones is living the good life: summer has returned to Dalliance, Texas; her ice cream shop, the Remember the A-la-mode, is doing a respectable business; and she’s once more happily ensconced in a relationship with her former high-school sweetheart, Finn Parker. But then her cousin Bree’s no-account ex, Sonny Anders, returns to town, a new woman on his arm and a wad of cash in his pocket, and Tally’s happy existence is thrown into a tailspin. Bree threatens to sue Sonny for child support, and Sonny responds by serving Bree with papers questioning the paternity of their daughter Alice. Tally is hopeful that a simple DNA test will bring the family drama to an end, but when Sonny’s lawyer is shot dead and Bree is found standing over the body holding the gun, she’s forced to admit that their troubles have only just begun. Bree swears she’s innocent of the crime, and Tally knows her cousin is incapable of murder, but the police remain unconvinced. Can Tally and Finn work together to exonerate Bree and catch the real killer?
A Parfait Murder is the third in Wendy Lyn Watson’s Mystery a la Mode series. I flat-out adored both the series debut, I Scream, You Scream, and its sequel, Scoop to Kill, so I had high hopes for Watson’s latest, and I’m happy to report it doesn’t disappoint. As always, Watson’s prose is lush, vibrant, and chock full of Texas charm. Her story is rich and complex, her dialogue is sharp, witty, and natural, and her descriptions are so vivid the imagery practically leaps off the page.
Watson’s characters are marvelous to a one, each with their own distinct personality and unique motivations. Tally makes for a fantastic main character – a strong, smart, funny, heroine with whom you immediately empathize and identify – and the people who populate her life add wonderful depth and texture to the story. From fiery yet vulnerable Bree, to sweetly serious Alice, to steel magnolia Grandma Peachy, these are characters you can’t help but feel affection for, and by the end of the book, you’re bound to feel as though you’re part of the family, yourself.
The mystery is intriguing and expertly crafted, full of twists and turns that you’ll never see coming, but it’s the interpersonal dramas that play out over the course of the book that really make it shine. The relationships Watson has created here – between Tally and Finn, Tally and Bree, Tally and Alice, and even Tally and her ex-husband, Wayne – are realistic and complex and beautifully illustrate the idea that when it comes to matters of love and family, things are never as black and white as they seem.
Wendy Lyn Watson’s books are simply a must-read. Go buy A Parfait Murder and while away a sunny afternoon with Tally in Dalliance; it just may be the best part of your week.
A Parfait Murder by Wendy Lyn Watson
Obsidian, June 2011
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10)
For fans of: Donna Andrews and Madelyn Alt
Tallulah "Tally" Jones is living the good life: summer has returned to Dalliance, Texas; her ice cream shop, the Remember the A-la-mode, is doing a respectable business; and she’s once more happily ensconced in a relationship with her former high-school sweetheart, Finn Parker. But then her cousin Bree’s no-account ex, Sonny Anders, returns to town, a new woman on his arm and a wad of cash in his pocket, and Tally’s happy existence is thrown into a tailspin. Bree threatens to sue Sonny for child support, and Sonny responds by serving Bree with papers questioning the paternity of their daughter Alice. Tally is hopeful that a simple DNA test will bring the family drama to an end, but when Sonny’s lawyer is shot dead and Bree is found standing over the body holding the gun, she’s forced to admit that their troubles have only just begun. Bree swears she’s innocent of the crime, and Tally knows her cousin is incapable of murder, but the police remain unconvinced. Can Tally and Finn work together to exonerate Bree and catch the real killer?
A Parfait Murder is the third in Wendy Lyn Watson’s Mystery a la Mode series. I flat-out adored both the series debut, I Scream, You Scream, and its sequel, Scoop to Kill, so I had high hopes for Watson’s latest, and I’m happy to report it doesn’t disappoint. As always, Watson’s prose is lush, vibrant, and chock full of Texas charm. Her story is rich and complex, her dialogue is sharp, witty, and natural, and her descriptions are so vivid the imagery practically leaps off the page.
Watson’s characters are marvelous to a one, each with their own distinct personality and unique motivations. Tally makes for a fantastic main character – a strong, smart, funny, heroine with whom you immediately empathize and identify – and the people who populate her life add wonderful depth and texture to the story. From fiery yet vulnerable Bree, to sweetly serious Alice, to steel magnolia Grandma Peachy, these are characters you can’t help but feel affection for, and by the end of the book, you’re bound to feel as though you’re part of the family, yourself.
The mystery is intriguing and expertly crafted, full of twists and turns that you’ll never see coming, but it’s the interpersonal dramas that play out over the course of the book that really make it shine. The relationships Watson has created here – between Tally and Finn, Tally and Bree, Tally and Alice, and even Tally and her ex-husband, Wayne – are realistic and complex and beautifully illustrate the idea that when it comes to matters of love and family, things are never as black and white as they seem.
Wendy Lyn Watson’s books are simply a must-read. Go buy A Parfait Murder and while away a sunny afternoon with Tally in Dalliance; it just may be the best part of your week.
REVIEW: Ink Flamingos
Note: This review originally appeared in the The Season E-Zine's June mystery section.
Ink Flamingos by Karen E. Olson
Obsidian, June 2011
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10)
For fans of: Victoria Laurie
Brett Kavanaugh owns The Painted Lady – a high-end, custom-art tattoo shop located in Las Vegas’ swanky Venetian Hotel. Thanks in part to her high-profile address, she’s done tattoos for some big names, the most famous being pop-icon and Flamingos-lead-singer Dee Carmichael. Brett’s the only person Dee trusts to do her tattoos, and as a result, she’s become a fairly frequent customer, coming in for fresh art every time she passes through town.
Brett’s association with Dee has always been good for business – that is, until the singer turns up dead in a shady hotel room, her body surrounded by inks and needles, and a fresh tattoo on her body. And to make matters worse, witnesses report seeing someone who looks an awful lot like Brett leaving the scene of the crime. Brett has an alibi and quickly takes herself off the LVPD’s suspect list, but that doesn’t stop an anonymous blogger from launching an internet smear campaign against her, claiming it was a botched tattoo done by Brett that killed Dee. Pictures of Brett taken by an unseen stalker start popping up all over the internet, and it seems someone has been going around town impersonating her. Can Brett catch the killer and silence the blogger in time to save her business, her reputation – and her life?
Ink Flamingos is the fourth in Karen E. Olson’s Tattoo Shop Mystery series. It’s the first I’ve read of Olson’s books, but it certainly won’t be the last. Simply put, Ink Flamingos is a fabulous read, full of twists, turns, tattooed corpses, and more red herrings than you can shake a needle at.
I love that the conceit of the series is something off the beaten path, something with a little edge to it. There are dozens of mysteries about knitters and bakers and scrapbook-makers, but a tattoo artist with a shop in Vegas? Bad-ass. I’m also incredibly impressed that the mystery is not only intriguing and wonderfully complex, but actually tattoo-related, as well – it’s not just a murder mystery in which a tattoo artist happens to become involved. Too often these days, the central mystery and the series conceit are almost incidental to one another, making you wonder if the author is simply picking plot-points from a hat.
Olson does a marvelous job of giving the book a dark, ominous, menacing vibe. The stakes are high – not only are her career and her reputation in jeopardy, but her life is threatened, as well. You really get the impression that Brett is in real and constant danger, and that helps to create a tension that pushes the pace of the book. And the fact that Brett’s identity has been stolen only serves to heighten the sense of unease, giving you the feeling that, try as she might, Brett’s not in control of what’s happening and is instead being forced to play victim to the whims of a vindictive psychopath.
Brett makes a great heroine – smart, likeable, headstrong, and fearless – and her chemistry with friend-slash-rival-slash-budding-love-interest Jeff Coleman is so hot it practically sizzles. The cast is rounded out by an ensemble of quirky and entertaining characters, most of whom I wish were a little more fully fleshed, but who are still far from cardboard cutouts, and all of whom add color and dimension to the plot.
Looking for a fun roller-coaster ride of a summer mystery? Check out Karen E. Olson’s Ink Flamingos. Come for the fabulous cover, stay for the thrilling conclusion.
Ink Flamingos by Karen E. Olson
Obsidian, June 2011
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10)
For fans of: Victoria Laurie
Brett Kavanaugh owns The Painted Lady – a high-end, custom-art tattoo shop located in Las Vegas’ swanky Venetian Hotel. Thanks in part to her high-profile address, she’s done tattoos for some big names, the most famous being pop-icon and Flamingos-lead-singer Dee Carmichael. Brett’s the only person Dee trusts to do her tattoos, and as a result, she’s become a fairly frequent customer, coming in for fresh art every time she passes through town.
Brett’s association with Dee has always been good for business – that is, until the singer turns up dead in a shady hotel room, her body surrounded by inks and needles, and a fresh tattoo on her body. And to make matters worse, witnesses report seeing someone who looks an awful lot like Brett leaving the scene of the crime. Brett has an alibi and quickly takes herself off the LVPD’s suspect list, but that doesn’t stop an anonymous blogger from launching an internet smear campaign against her, claiming it was a botched tattoo done by Brett that killed Dee. Pictures of Brett taken by an unseen stalker start popping up all over the internet, and it seems someone has been going around town impersonating her. Can Brett catch the killer and silence the blogger in time to save her business, her reputation – and her life?
Ink Flamingos is the fourth in Karen E. Olson’s Tattoo Shop Mystery series. It’s the first I’ve read of Olson’s books, but it certainly won’t be the last. Simply put, Ink Flamingos is a fabulous read, full of twists, turns, tattooed corpses, and more red herrings than you can shake a needle at.
I love that the conceit of the series is something off the beaten path, something with a little edge to it. There are dozens of mysteries about knitters and bakers and scrapbook-makers, but a tattoo artist with a shop in Vegas? Bad-ass. I’m also incredibly impressed that the mystery is not only intriguing and wonderfully complex, but actually tattoo-related, as well – it’s not just a murder mystery in which a tattoo artist happens to become involved. Too often these days, the central mystery and the series conceit are almost incidental to one another, making you wonder if the author is simply picking plot-points from a hat.
Olson does a marvelous job of giving the book a dark, ominous, menacing vibe. The stakes are high – not only are her career and her reputation in jeopardy, but her life is threatened, as well. You really get the impression that Brett is in real and constant danger, and that helps to create a tension that pushes the pace of the book. And the fact that Brett’s identity has been stolen only serves to heighten the sense of unease, giving you the feeling that, try as she might, Brett’s not in control of what’s happening and is instead being forced to play victim to the whims of a vindictive psychopath.
Brett makes a great heroine – smart, likeable, headstrong, and fearless – and her chemistry with friend-slash-rival-slash-budding-love-interest Jeff Coleman is so hot it practically sizzles. The cast is rounded out by an ensemble of quirky and entertaining characters, most of whom I wish were a little more fully fleshed, but who are still far from cardboard cutouts, and all of whom add color and dimension to the plot.
Looking for a fun roller-coaster ride of a summer mystery? Check out Karen E. Olson’s Ink Flamingos. Come for the fabulous cover, stay for the thrilling conclusion.
REVIEW: Flowerbed of State
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's May mystery section.
Flowerbed of State by Dorothy St. James
Berkley Prime Crime, May 2011
Rating: 10 (Perfection!) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10)
For fans of: Julie Hyzy
When Assistant White House Gardner Cassandra “Casey” Calhoun heads out to Lafayette Park in the pre-dawn hours to do a little weeding, she has no idea that later that morning, she’ll be waking up in that same muddy flowerbed with a head wound and ligature marks around her neck. Or that just feet from where she wakes, she’ll find the body of a woman in a trashcan. A woman with hair the same color as Casey’s own, who’s wearing a suit that resembles the one Casey is wearing – and who appears to have been strangled to death.
The police, FBI, and Secret Service seem convinced the woman was killed by one of the protesters picketing the banking summit that’s underway at the White House, and that the murder is part of a larger plot in place against the President. But then why attack Casey? As the only living witness to the crimes, Casey knows there’s a good chance she’s still in danger, despite the fact that she has little memory of the morning’s events. Can she help catch the killer before he has a chance to come back and finish what he started?
Flowerbed of State is the first in author Dorothy St. James’ White House Gardener Mystery Series, and it’s a stunner of a debut. The book is perfectly paced, dropping you straight into the middle of the mystery with very first scene and then hurtling you like a freight train toward the thrilling conclusion. The prose is witty and smart and wonderfully descriptive. The mystery is dazzlingly complex and brilliantly plotted. Every suspect, every clue, every red-herring – all work together to form a compulsively readable, masterfully crafted tale of intrigue, betrayal, and suspense.
St. James’ character development is simply marvelous. Casey is a funny and winsome heroine with one of the most interesting (and tragic) backstories I’ve seen in a cozy heroine to date. Every member of the supporting cast you meet, from to sleazy banking exec Brooks Keller to fatherly head gardener Gordon Sims to roguish billionaire Richard Templeton is richly developed and does his or her part to add texture to the story and meat to the plot. And Special Agent Jack Turner is a Top Ten love interest in the making, the development of the relationship between him and Casey pitch-perfect at every turn.
By having the attack on Casey closely resemble the manner in which the murder victim was killed, St. James provides her protagonist with the perfect motivation to get involved in the investigation. Casey may be a little indiscriminate with the information she possesses regarding said investigation and a little naïve as to who should and shouldn’t be a suspect, but as she hastens to point out, she’s never solved a mystery in her life, and her only qualification as a detective is the fact that she reads quite a lot of detective novels.
Oh, and I'm happy to report that the book is info-dump-free! There's plenty of information about gardening to be found here, but St. James manages to seamlessly incorporate it into the storyline – a skill that's all too rare among her peers.
Simply put, I adore this book, and I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel. Go out buy it now – you can thank me later.
Flowerbed of State by Dorothy St. James
Berkley Prime Crime, May 2011
Rating: 10 (Perfection!) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10)
For fans of: Julie Hyzy
When Assistant White House Gardner Cassandra “Casey” Calhoun heads out to Lafayette Park in the pre-dawn hours to do a little weeding, she has no idea that later that morning, she’ll be waking up in that same muddy flowerbed with a head wound and ligature marks around her neck. Or that just feet from where she wakes, she’ll find the body of a woman in a trashcan. A woman with hair the same color as Casey’s own, who’s wearing a suit that resembles the one Casey is wearing – and who appears to have been strangled to death.
The police, FBI, and Secret Service seem convinced the woman was killed by one of the protesters picketing the banking summit that’s underway at the White House, and that the murder is part of a larger plot in place against the President. But then why attack Casey? As the only living witness to the crimes, Casey knows there’s a good chance she’s still in danger, despite the fact that she has little memory of the morning’s events. Can she help catch the killer before he has a chance to come back and finish what he started?
Flowerbed of State is the first in author Dorothy St. James’ White House Gardener Mystery Series, and it’s a stunner of a debut. The book is perfectly paced, dropping you straight into the middle of the mystery with very first scene and then hurtling you like a freight train toward the thrilling conclusion. The prose is witty and smart and wonderfully descriptive. The mystery is dazzlingly complex and brilliantly plotted. Every suspect, every clue, every red-herring – all work together to form a compulsively readable, masterfully crafted tale of intrigue, betrayal, and suspense.
St. James’ character development is simply marvelous. Casey is a funny and winsome heroine with one of the most interesting (and tragic) backstories I’ve seen in a cozy heroine to date. Every member of the supporting cast you meet, from to sleazy banking exec Brooks Keller to fatherly head gardener Gordon Sims to roguish billionaire Richard Templeton is richly developed and does his or her part to add texture to the story and meat to the plot. And Special Agent Jack Turner is a Top Ten love interest in the making, the development of the relationship between him and Casey pitch-perfect at every turn.
By having the attack on Casey closely resemble the manner in which the murder victim was killed, St. James provides her protagonist with the perfect motivation to get involved in the investigation. Casey may be a little indiscriminate with the information she possesses regarding said investigation and a little naïve as to who should and shouldn’t be a suspect, but as she hastens to point out, she’s never solved a mystery in her life, and her only qualification as a detective is the fact that she reads quite a lot of detective novels.
Oh, and I'm happy to report that the book is info-dump-free! There's plenty of information about gardening to be found here, but St. James manages to seamlessly incorporate it into the storyline – a skill that's all too rare among her peers.
Simply put, I adore this book, and I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel. Go out buy it now – you can thank me later.
REVIEW: ANGEL'S VERDICT
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's February mystery section.
Angel's Verdict by Mary Stanton
Berkley Prime Crime, February 2011
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10)
For fans of: Nancy Atherton and Madelyn Alt
The two branches of Beaufort & Company, the Savannah law firm Brianna “Bree” Winston-Beaufort inherited from her uncle, couldn’t be more different. When Bree’s in residence at the Bay Street office, she and her mortal staff handle “temporal” matters – the same sorts of cases you’d expect to find at any other small firm in the city. When she heads across town to the Angelus Street office, however – that’s when things get interesting. This celestial branch of Beaufort & Company is staffed by angels and deals exclusively with sentencing appeals brought by condemned souls before the Celestial Courts.
The caseload at Bay Street – the only office that brings in any money – has been kind of light since the firm changed hands, so when aging actress Justine Colville makes an appointment to discuss changes to her will, Bree jumps at the business. When Justine shows up to meet with Bree, however, it becomes apparent that her will is the least of her concerns. Justine has been cast to play a role in Bitter Tide, a TV movie about the murder of 1950s B-movie actress Haydee Quinn, and it seems someone is trying to sabotage the production and make it appear as though Justine is to blame. Bree agrees to look into the matter, but after some digging, she discovers that the mystery surrounding the movie might be linked to the original mystery of Haydee’s murder. Who really killed Haydee Quinn? Did the police send the wrong man to his death? Who’s responsible for the trouble on the set of Bitter Tide, and why is someone so determined to shut down the movie and end Justine Coleville’s career? Does Bree have what it takes to find the answer to these questions and bring justice to those involved – both living and dead?
Angel’s Verdict is the fourth in Mary Stanton’s Beaufort & Company Mystery series. I don't know what I expected when I picked up Angel's Verdict, but it wasn't this. Stanton’s book is a pulp mystery wrapped in an urban fantasy wrapped in a traditional mystery, and it's fantastic. Angel’s Verdict has a marvelous sense of atmosphere, the pacing is perfect, and the mysteries, both past and present, are engaging and incredibly well-constructed. Stanton’s prose and dialogue are a pleasure to read. And with regard to the more otherworldly aspects of Bree’s existence, Stanton does exactly the right amount of world-building – enough to prevent you from becoming confused but never so much as to distract you from the story.
Stanton’s characters are fabulous to a one. From the tortured and deeply flawed Dent to the regal and mysterious angels who work with Bree, even Stanton’s minor players are complex and richly textured with their own unique motivations. And for her part, Bree makes a wonderful heroine – strong, steely, and determined, yet still warm and caring underneath it all. I love that she can tell the more mystical side of her profession is changing her in some way, but she isn’t sure how, and she’s at least a little frightened about the potential consequences of those changes. Bree’s budding romance with Savannah Police Lieutenant Sam Hunter has real potential, as well. I would have liked to see little more interaction between Bree and Sam in Angels’ Verdict because the chemistry they share is quite compelling, but that's not really what this book is about. Rather than complain, then, I'll just have to go out and pick up the rest of the series.
Looking for a fun new series that’s a little off the beaten path? Check out Mary Stanton’s Beaufort & Company Mysteries; you’ll be glad you did.
Angel's Verdict by Mary Stanton
Berkley Prime Crime, February 2011
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10)
For fans of: Nancy Atherton and Madelyn Alt
The two branches of Beaufort & Company, the Savannah law firm Brianna “Bree” Winston-Beaufort inherited from her uncle, couldn’t be more different. When Bree’s in residence at the Bay Street office, she and her mortal staff handle “temporal” matters – the same sorts of cases you’d expect to find at any other small firm in the city. When she heads across town to the Angelus Street office, however – that’s when things get interesting. This celestial branch of Beaufort & Company is staffed by angels and deals exclusively with sentencing appeals brought by condemned souls before the Celestial Courts.
The caseload at Bay Street – the only office that brings in any money – has been kind of light since the firm changed hands, so when aging actress Justine Colville makes an appointment to discuss changes to her will, Bree jumps at the business. When Justine shows up to meet with Bree, however, it becomes apparent that her will is the least of her concerns. Justine has been cast to play a role in Bitter Tide, a TV movie about the murder of 1950s B-movie actress Haydee Quinn, and it seems someone is trying to sabotage the production and make it appear as though Justine is to blame. Bree agrees to look into the matter, but after some digging, she discovers that the mystery surrounding the movie might be linked to the original mystery of Haydee’s murder. Who really killed Haydee Quinn? Did the police send the wrong man to his death? Who’s responsible for the trouble on the set of Bitter Tide, and why is someone so determined to shut down the movie and end Justine Coleville’s career? Does Bree have what it takes to find the answer to these questions and bring justice to those involved – both living and dead?
Angel’s Verdict is the fourth in Mary Stanton’s Beaufort & Company Mystery series. I don't know what I expected when I picked up Angel's Verdict, but it wasn't this. Stanton’s book is a pulp mystery wrapped in an urban fantasy wrapped in a traditional mystery, and it's fantastic. Angel’s Verdict has a marvelous sense of atmosphere, the pacing is perfect, and the mysteries, both past and present, are engaging and incredibly well-constructed. Stanton’s prose and dialogue are a pleasure to read. And with regard to the more otherworldly aspects of Bree’s existence, Stanton does exactly the right amount of world-building – enough to prevent you from becoming confused but never so much as to distract you from the story.
Stanton’s characters are fabulous to a one. From the tortured and deeply flawed Dent to the regal and mysterious angels who work with Bree, even Stanton’s minor players are complex and richly textured with their own unique motivations. And for her part, Bree makes a wonderful heroine – strong, steely, and determined, yet still warm and caring underneath it all. I love that she can tell the more mystical side of her profession is changing her in some way, but she isn’t sure how, and she’s at least a little frightened about the potential consequences of those changes. Bree’s budding romance with Savannah Police Lieutenant Sam Hunter has real potential, as well. I would have liked to see little more interaction between Bree and Sam in Angels’ Verdict because the chemistry they share is quite compelling, but that's not really what this book is about. Rather than complain, then, I'll just have to go out and pick up the rest of the series.
Looking for a fun new series that’s a little off the beaten path? Check out Mary Stanton’s Beaufort & Company Mysteries; you’ll be glad you did.
REVIEW: Murder Your Darlings
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's January mystery section.
Murder Your Darlings by J.J. Murphy
Obsidian Mystery, January 2011
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10)
Every afternoon, Dorothy Parker and the rest of the Vicious Circle meet for lunch at the Algonquin Hotel. Their gatherings are never dull, but when Dorothy arrives early one day to discover a pair of legs poking out from beneath the table, she begins to suspect that this particular meal might be a bit more memorable than most. It turns out the legs belong to Leland Mayflower, drama critic for the Knickerbocker News, and that Mayflower is, in fact, very much dead -- stabbed through the heart by his own fountain pen. The police initially suspect a new acquaintance of Dorothy's, an aspiring young writer by the name of Billy Faulkner, but it soon comes out that many of Dorothy's dining companions had reason to want Mayflower dead. Can Dorothy track down the real killer and exonerate her friends without falling prey, herself?
Murder Your Darlings is the first in author J.J. Murphy's new Algonquin Round Table Mystery series. A rollicking good tale that's equal parts Dashiell Hammett, Agatha Christie, and P.G. Wodehouse, Murder Your Darlings captures perfectly the gritty, witty, debaucherous world that was Dorothy Parker's New York -- a city full of Automats and aristocrats, speakeasies and bathtub gin, where at any given moment you might find Edna St. Vincent Millay making unwanted advances toward Jack Dempsey or Harpo Marx playing poker with Irving Berlin. In the hands of a lesser author, such high-profile cameos might come off as ridiculous and gratuitous, but Murphy uses them to brilliant effect here; they lend texture and magic to his set pieces, and serve to transform the city from a mere backdrop to a character in its own right. His plot is unique and fun, his dialogue is riotously funny, and his prose is as charming and intelligent as Parker, herself.
It takes guts to co-opt a larger-than-life historical figure and turn her into your series heroine, but it's a gamble I'm glad Murphy made. Equal arts intrepid detective, wisecracking journalist, overprotective mother hen, and lonely widow, Murphy somehow manages to humanize the legendary wit without diminishing her; whether she's protecting young Faulkner from both the police and the world she and her friends inhabit or pining after fellow Vicious-Circle-member Robert Benchley, you may empathize with her, but you never lose sight of the fact that Dorothy Parker is a force to be reckoned with.
For his part, Robert Benchley makes a perfect sidekick and ill-fated love interest. Fiercely loyal to Dorothy and every bit as snarky, Benchley clearly adores his friend -- and indeed, spends nearly every waking moment with her -- but it's never clear whether the nature of his feelings mirrors her own, and in the end, much to Dorothy's great dismay, he always goes home to his wife and children. The relationship between the two is tender, yet bittersweet, and makes for incredibly compelling reading.
Murphy's mystery is marvelously clever. Full of bootleggers, hitmen, dark alleys, and two-bit thugs, it ends with a twist I never saw coming. (Though I confess, the story was so entertaining that I didn't spend much time trying to work out the identity of the murderer for myself.) If the book has one flaw, it's that the final chase scene is a bit unnecessarily complicated (and occasionally borders on farcical), but that's a minor complaint; Murder Your Darlings is a joy to read from cover to cover, and Murphy's finale does little to detract from that.
Some would pay a fortune for the chance to spend a few hours in the company of Dorothy Parker and the Vicious Circle; thanks to J.J. Murphy, however, you can now do so for less than the price of a drink at the Algonquin. Get thee to a bookstore, and quickly; Murder Your Darlings is one purchase you won't regret.
Murder Your Darlings by J.J. Murphy
Obsidian Mystery, January 2011
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10)
Every afternoon, Dorothy Parker and the rest of the Vicious Circle meet for lunch at the Algonquin Hotel. Their gatherings are never dull, but when Dorothy arrives early one day to discover a pair of legs poking out from beneath the table, she begins to suspect that this particular meal might be a bit more memorable than most. It turns out the legs belong to Leland Mayflower, drama critic for the Knickerbocker News, and that Mayflower is, in fact, very much dead -- stabbed through the heart by his own fountain pen. The police initially suspect a new acquaintance of Dorothy's, an aspiring young writer by the name of Billy Faulkner, but it soon comes out that many of Dorothy's dining companions had reason to want Mayflower dead. Can Dorothy track down the real killer and exonerate her friends without falling prey, herself?
Murder Your Darlings is the first in author J.J. Murphy's new Algonquin Round Table Mystery series. A rollicking good tale that's equal parts Dashiell Hammett, Agatha Christie, and P.G. Wodehouse, Murder Your Darlings captures perfectly the gritty, witty, debaucherous world that was Dorothy Parker's New York -- a city full of Automats and aristocrats, speakeasies and bathtub gin, where at any given moment you might find Edna St. Vincent Millay making unwanted advances toward Jack Dempsey or Harpo Marx playing poker with Irving Berlin. In the hands of a lesser author, such high-profile cameos might come off as ridiculous and gratuitous, but Murphy uses them to brilliant effect here; they lend texture and magic to his set pieces, and serve to transform the city from a mere backdrop to a character in its own right. His plot is unique and fun, his dialogue is riotously funny, and his prose is as charming and intelligent as Parker, herself.
It takes guts to co-opt a larger-than-life historical figure and turn her into your series heroine, but it's a gamble I'm glad Murphy made. Equal arts intrepid detective, wisecracking journalist, overprotective mother hen, and lonely widow, Murphy somehow manages to humanize the legendary wit without diminishing her; whether she's protecting young Faulkner from both the police and the world she and her friends inhabit or pining after fellow Vicious-Circle-member Robert Benchley, you may empathize with her, but you never lose sight of the fact that Dorothy Parker is a force to be reckoned with.
For his part, Robert Benchley makes a perfect sidekick and ill-fated love interest. Fiercely loyal to Dorothy and every bit as snarky, Benchley clearly adores his friend -- and indeed, spends nearly every waking moment with her -- but it's never clear whether the nature of his feelings mirrors her own, and in the end, much to Dorothy's great dismay, he always goes home to his wife and children. The relationship between the two is tender, yet bittersweet, and makes for incredibly compelling reading.
Murphy's mystery is marvelously clever. Full of bootleggers, hitmen, dark alleys, and two-bit thugs, it ends with a twist I never saw coming. (Though I confess, the story was so entertaining that I didn't spend much time trying to work out the identity of the murderer for myself.) If the book has one flaw, it's that the final chase scene is a bit unnecessarily complicated (and occasionally borders on farcical), but that's a minor complaint; Murder Your Darlings is a joy to read from cover to cover, and Murphy's finale does little to detract from that.
Some would pay a fortune for the chance to spend a few hours in the company of Dorothy Parker and the Vicious Circle; thanks to J.J. Murphy, however, you can now do so for less than the price of a drink at the Algonquin. Get thee to a bookstore, and quickly; Murder Your Darlings is one purchase you won't regret.
REVIEW: Buffalo West Wing
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's January mystery section.
Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy
Berkley Prime Crime, January 2011
Rating: 10 (Perfection!) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10)
For fans of: Diane Mott Davidson and Phyllis Richman
It's Inauguration Day, and White House Executive Chef Olivia "Ollie" Paras is doing everything she can to make a good impression on her new employers; after all, she was hired by the outgoing administration, and it's no guarantee President and Mrs. Hayden will decide to keep her on. Everything's going smoothly until a box of chicken wings from a local take-out chain mysteriously appears in Ollie's kitchen with a note indicating they're for First Kids Abigail and Josh. The wings are the children's favorite, but because Ollie doesn't know where they came from, she follows proper security protocol and refuses to serve them -- upsetting not only Abigail and Josh, but the First Lady, as well. Ollie is sure they can put the incident behind them, but when it's announced that Mrs. Hayden has decided to hire a personal chef to cook all of the family's meals, she begins to wonder if her days in the White House kitchen are numbered.
To add to Ollie's problems, it soon comes to light that the mystery wings were, in fact, poisoned. The box could only have been put in the kitchen by someone with clearance, but who? And why would anyone want to harm Abigail and Josh? The Secret Service decides to keep the plot from Mrs. Hayden and her children until more information is known, putting Ollie in one heck of a tough spot. Can she discover who planted the poisoned food in her kitchen and prevent any further attacks, all the while fighting to get back into the good graces of the First Family and fending off the chef who's now gunning for her job?
Buffalo West Wing is the fourth in Julie Hyzy's White House Chef Mystery series, and it's one of the best books I've read this year. Hyzy's latest is everything you hope for when you crack the cover of a novel: the plot is intricate, the mystery is clever, the dialogue is witty and natural, and the prose is a joy to read. And if you like your books to hurtle along like a rollercoaster at top speed, boy howdy, are you in for a treat.
Buffalo West Wing starts with a bang. It then grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. I became so quickly and so thoroughly invested in this story that I found it practically impossible to put down. (Note: Do not try to mop your floors while reading a book; I can tell you from experience, it won't end well.) By setting this series in the White House, Hyzy has essentially guaranteed that the stakes will always be high, but with Buffalo West Wing, the stakes start out high and then get astronomical. You start out worried Ollie will lose her job, but you quickly end up worried that Ollie will lose her life.
In my opinion, a big part of what makes Hyzy's books so compelling is her pitch-perfect character development. Hyzy's created a first-rate heroine in Ollie; ambitious and talented yet thoughtful and caring, you'll find yourself rooting for her from page one. The First Family's personal chef, Virgil Ballantine, is the perfect arch-rival; arrogant, self-centered, and slimy, he's a villain you'll love to hate. And the book's minor players are no slouch, either; from assistant chefs Cyan and Bucky to First Kids Abigail and Josh to Ollie's awful date Reggie, each character has his or her own distinct personality; there are no cardboard cutouts to be found here.
Hyzy also does a marvelous job developing the relationships between her characters. I especially loved Ollie's scenes with ex-lover (and Secret Service Presidential Protective Division Head) Tom MacKenzie and potential love interest Special Agent in Charge Leonard "Gav" Gavin; most authors use romance to create drama and conflict, and Hyzy's no exception, but what makes Hyzy stand out from the pack is her ability to successfully convey the complex emotions that come with falling in and out of love.
In sum, I can't praise this book highly enough. It's tense and twisty and fabulous. Start your New Year right and go out and buy it ASAP; you'll be happy you did.
Buffalo West Wing by Julie Hyzy
Berkley Prime Crime, January 2011
Rating: 10 (Perfection!) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10)
For fans of: Diane Mott Davidson and Phyllis Richman
It's Inauguration Day, and White House Executive Chef Olivia "Ollie" Paras is doing everything she can to make a good impression on her new employers; after all, she was hired by the outgoing administration, and it's no guarantee President and Mrs. Hayden will decide to keep her on. Everything's going smoothly until a box of chicken wings from a local take-out chain mysteriously appears in Ollie's kitchen with a note indicating they're for First Kids Abigail and Josh. The wings are the children's favorite, but because Ollie doesn't know where they came from, she follows proper security protocol and refuses to serve them -- upsetting not only Abigail and Josh, but the First Lady, as well. Ollie is sure they can put the incident behind them, but when it's announced that Mrs. Hayden has decided to hire a personal chef to cook all of the family's meals, she begins to wonder if her days in the White House kitchen are numbered.
To add to Ollie's problems, it soon comes to light that the mystery wings were, in fact, poisoned. The box could only have been put in the kitchen by someone with clearance, but who? And why would anyone want to harm Abigail and Josh? The Secret Service decides to keep the plot from Mrs. Hayden and her children until more information is known, putting Ollie in one heck of a tough spot. Can she discover who planted the poisoned food in her kitchen and prevent any further attacks, all the while fighting to get back into the good graces of the First Family and fending off the chef who's now gunning for her job?
Buffalo West Wing is the fourth in Julie Hyzy's White House Chef Mystery series, and it's one of the best books I've read this year. Hyzy's latest is everything you hope for when you crack the cover of a novel: the plot is intricate, the mystery is clever, the dialogue is witty and natural, and the prose is a joy to read. And if you like your books to hurtle along like a rollercoaster at top speed, boy howdy, are you in for a treat.
Buffalo West Wing starts with a bang. It then grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go. I became so quickly and so thoroughly invested in this story that I found it practically impossible to put down. (Note: Do not try to mop your floors while reading a book; I can tell you from experience, it won't end well.) By setting this series in the White House, Hyzy has essentially guaranteed that the stakes will always be high, but with Buffalo West Wing, the stakes start out high and then get astronomical. You start out worried Ollie will lose her job, but you quickly end up worried that Ollie will lose her life.
In my opinion, a big part of what makes Hyzy's books so compelling is her pitch-perfect character development. Hyzy's created a first-rate heroine in Ollie; ambitious and talented yet thoughtful and caring, you'll find yourself rooting for her from page one. The First Family's personal chef, Virgil Ballantine, is the perfect arch-rival; arrogant, self-centered, and slimy, he's a villain you'll love to hate. And the book's minor players are no slouch, either; from assistant chefs Cyan and Bucky to First Kids Abigail and Josh to Ollie's awful date Reggie, each character has his or her own distinct personality; there are no cardboard cutouts to be found here.
Hyzy also does a marvelous job developing the relationships between her characters. I especially loved Ollie's scenes with ex-lover (and Secret Service Presidential Protective Division Head) Tom MacKenzie and potential love interest Special Agent in Charge Leonard "Gav" Gavin; most authors use romance to create drama and conflict, and Hyzy's no exception, but what makes Hyzy stand out from the pack is her ability to successfully convey the complex emotions that come with falling in and out of love.
In sum, I can't praise this book highly enough. It's tense and twisty and fabulous. Start your New Year right and go out and buy it ASAP; you'll be happy you did.
REVIEW: Home for a Spell
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's January mystery section.
Home for Spell by Madelyn Alt
Berkley Prime Crime, January 2011
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
For fans of: Wendy Lyn Watson and Victoria Laurie
It's been a rough couple of months for fledgling empath and mystical-antiques-shop-employee Maggie O'Neill. Her employer and dear friend, Felicity Dow, was outed to the community as a practicing witch and is now being persecuted by the conservative residents of Stony Mill, Indiana. Her best friend of nineteen (and a half) years is getting married and moving away. And to top it all off, Maggie broke her ankle and is now on crutches, forcing her to move in with - and rely completely on - her brand-new boyfriend, Marcus Quinn. Marcus has been wonderful, but Maggie's concerned he's putting too much of his own life on hold in order to take care of her so, determined to become more independent, Maggie starts looking for an apartment that can accommodate both her cat and her crutches. She manages to score a great deal on a ground-level unit that's just a few blocks away, but when Marcus takes her to sign the lease, they find the apartment manager's office trashed - and the manager floating dead in the pool. Maggie senses something strange was going on at the apartment complex, but what? And is that something strange why the apartment manager was killed? Does Maggie have what it takes to help catch the killer before he or she strikes again?
I feel the need to start this review with a confession: I'm a huge fan of Madelyn Alt. Her Bewitching Mysteries are some of my very favorite reads, and I was over the moon when I was given the chance to review the seventh installment in the series, Home for a Spell. I know it's rarely a good idea to go into a book with such high expectations, but I'm delighted to report that Alt's latest doesn't disappoint.
Reading one of Madelyn Alt's books is like spending time in the company of a good friend. Her prose is witty yet comfortable, her dialogue is natural and funny, and her characters are so perfectly developed you finish the story feeling like you know them personally. Maggie makes for a winsome heroine and an engaging narrator. Her boss and confidante, Felicity "Liss" Dow, is so warm and charismatic that you'll find yourself longing to quit your job and go work for her yourself. And Maggie's boyfriend, oh-so-sexy-bad-boy-with-a-heart-of-old Marcus Quinn is hands-down one of the best series love interests I've read to date.
The relationships Alt has created between her characters are marvelous, as well. The deep friendship between Maggie and Liss, the tender yet smoldering romance between Maggie and Marcus, Maggie's uneasy relationship with occult-adverse ex-boyfriend Tom - all are perfectly realized on the page.
The mystery in Home for a Spell is creepy, twisty, and expertly constructed. Granted, it's a bit smaller in scale than in some of Alt's previous novels, but that's not a bad thing. Because there isn't a huge cast of characters to keep track of and Maggie and Marcus are smack in the middle of everything that's happening, the book has a great sense of urgency and immediacy that makes the book difficult to put down (I should know - I read the entire thing in one sitting!).
The only reason I didn't give this book a Perfect Ten is that I wasn't entirely sure Alt earned her ending. Don't get me wrong - the climax of the book is fabulous and includes a twist I totally didn't see coming; when all was said and done, however, I felt that maybe the twist was just a tad too far out of left field. That's a minor criticism, however, and one that should not in any way discourage you from running right out and buying yourself a copy of Home for a Spell. I adored this book, and plan to heartily recommend it to all of my friends who are cozy readers. And while you're at it, do yourself a favor and pick up the rest of the books in Alt's Bewitching Mystery series -- I can't imagine many better ways to start the New Year.
Home for Spell by Madelyn Alt
Berkley Prime Crime, January 2011
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
For fans of: Wendy Lyn Watson and Victoria Laurie
It's been a rough couple of months for fledgling empath and mystical-antiques-shop-employee Maggie O'Neill. Her employer and dear friend, Felicity Dow, was outed to the community as a practicing witch and is now being persecuted by the conservative residents of Stony Mill, Indiana. Her best friend of nineteen (and a half) years is getting married and moving away. And to top it all off, Maggie broke her ankle and is now on crutches, forcing her to move in with - and rely completely on - her brand-new boyfriend, Marcus Quinn. Marcus has been wonderful, but Maggie's concerned he's putting too much of his own life on hold in order to take care of her so, determined to become more independent, Maggie starts looking for an apartment that can accommodate both her cat and her crutches. She manages to score a great deal on a ground-level unit that's just a few blocks away, but when Marcus takes her to sign the lease, they find the apartment manager's office trashed - and the manager floating dead in the pool. Maggie senses something strange was going on at the apartment complex, but what? And is that something strange why the apartment manager was killed? Does Maggie have what it takes to help catch the killer before he or she strikes again?
I feel the need to start this review with a confession: I'm a huge fan of Madelyn Alt. Her Bewitching Mysteries are some of my very favorite reads, and I was over the moon when I was given the chance to review the seventh installment in the series, Home for a Spell. I know it's rarely a good idea to go into a book with such high expectations, but I'm delighted to report that Alt's latest doesn't disappoint.
Reading one of Madelyn Alt's books is like spending time in the company of a good friend. Her prose is witty yet comfortable, her dialogue is natural and funny, and her characters are so perfectly developed you finish the story feeling like you know them personally. Maggie makes for a winsome heroine and an engaging narrator. Her boss and confidante, Felicity "Liss" Dow, is so warm and charismatic that you'll find yourself longing to quit your job and go work for her yourself. And Maggie's boyfriend, oh-so-sexy-bad-boy-with-a-heart-of-old Marcus Quinn is hands-down one of the best series love interests I've read to date.
The relationships Alt has created between her characters are marvelous, as well. The deep friendship between Maggie and Liss, the tender yet smoldering romance between Maggie and Marcus, Maggie's uneasy relationship with occult-adverse ex-boyfriend Tom - all are perfectly realized on the page.
The mystery in Home for a Spell is creepy, twisty, and expertly constructed. Granted, it's a bit smaller in scale than in some of Alt's previous novels, but that's not a bad thing. Because there isn't a huge cast of characters to keep track of and Maggie and Marcus are smack in the middle of everything that's happening, the book has a great sense of urgency and immediacy that makes the book difficult to put down (I should know - I read the entire thing in one sitting!).
The only reason I didn't give this book a Perfect Ten is that I wasn't entirely sure Alt earned her ending. Don't get me wrong - the climax of the book is fabulous and includes a twist I totally didn't see coming; when all was said and done, however, I felt that maybe the twist was just a tad too far out of left field. That's a minor criticism, however, and one that should not in any way discourage you from running right out and buying yourself a copy of Home for a Spell. I adored this book, and plan to heartily recommend it to all of my friends who are cozy readers. And while you're at it, do yourself a favor and pick up the rest of the books in Alt's Bewitching Mystery series -- I can't imagine many better ways to start the New Year.
REVIEW: Holiday Grind
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's November mystery section.
Holiday Grind by Cleo Coyle
Berkley, paperback reprint (November 2010)
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
For fans of: Diane Mott Davidson, Joanne Fluke
Village Blend manager and head barista Clare Cosi is in the holiday spirit. Christmas carols are playing, the Blend's decked out in red and green, and Clare and her employees are working on a new menu of Fa-la-la-la Lattes that are sure to bring lots of thirsty shoppers through the doors. But when Clare steps out for a walk in the snow and stumbles across the corpse of Traveling Santa (and Blend friend) Alf Glockner, her mood becomes a little less merry. The NYPD officer assigned to the case, Sergeant Emmanuel "General" Franco, dismisses Alf's death as a mugging-gone-wrong and seems more interested in hitting on Clare than in catching Alf's killer. Clare's positive Alf's death wasn't just a random act of street violence, though, and when Alf's daughter Vicki asks Clare for help in solving her father's murder, Clare can't say no. Can Clare unwrap the mystery surrounding the slain Santa without becoming a victim herself?
I admit, I don't usually like Christmas-themed mysteries; more often than not, they sacrifice plot and pacing for schmaltz and sentimentality. Author Cleo Coyle does go a little heavy on the cozy here, what with her Dickens references and her Salvation-Army-esque Traveling Santas. That does not, however, mean that Holiday Grind isn't worth your time; despite the tinsel, this is a cracking good mystery, chock full of murder, sex, blackmail, and intrigue. The book's got a strong narrative drive, an intricate storyline, and a great sense of atmosphere. And if when you're done, you don't emerge itching for a perfectly drawn espresso or a cup of Jamaican Blue Mountain, there's a good chance you're dead inside.
If Coyle's writing has one fault, it's her minor characters. The Village Blend's baristas -- flamboyant actor-playwright Tucker, hip jazz musician Gardner, grad student and slam poetess Esther, and tattooed fine-arts painter Dante -- are little more than caricatures of people you'd expect to find in a Village coffeehouse. Traveling Santa and down-on-his-luck standup-comic-wannabe Alf Glockner is annoying even in death. And with his cowboy boots, Yankees jacket, and red, white, and blue do-rag, Sergeant Franco is patently ridiculous.
Her main characters more than make up for this flaw, though. Clare makes for a smart, plucky heroine, hunky NYPD Detective Mike Quinn is everything you could hope for in a series love interest, and the romance between the two throws off plenty of sparks. Clare's "family" -- reformed-bad-boy and ex-husband Matteo Allegro, sophisticated socialite and ex-mother-in-law Madame Allegro, and daughter Joy -- are also compelling characters, and are a big part of what makes Coyle's fictional world feel so lifelike.
Holiday Grind is the eighth installment in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery series. I'm an avid fan, having purchased and read every installment -- the last few in hardcover. Trust me when I tell you there's a reason Coyle's become a big name on the cozy scene. Her books don't disappoint. Do yourself a favor, and go out and buy one today.
Holiday Grind by Cleo Coyle
Berkley, paperback reprint (November 2010)
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
For fans of: Diane Mott Davidson, Joanne Fluke
Village Blend manager and head barista Clare Cosi is in the holiday spirit. Christmas carols are playing, the Blend's decked out in red and green, and Clare and her employees are working on a new menu of Fa-la-la-la Lattes that are sure to bring lots of thirsty shoppers through the doors. But when Clare steps out for a walk in the snow and stumbles across the corpse of Traveling Santa (and Blend friend) Alf Glockner, her mood becomes a little less merry. The NYPD officer assigned to the case, Sergeant Emmanuel "General" Franco, dismisses Alf's death as a mugging-gone-wrong and seems more interested in hitting on Clare than in catching Alf's killer. Clare's positive Alf's death wasn't just a random act of street violence, though, and when Alf's daughter Vicki asks Clare for help in solving her father's murder, Clare can't say no. Can Clare unwrap the mystery surrounding the slain Santa without becoming a victim herself?
I admit, I don't usually like Christmas-themed mysteries; more often than not, they sacrifice plot and pacing for schmaltz and sentimentality. Author Cleo Coyle does go a little heavy on the cozy here, what with her Dickens references and her Salvation-Army-esque Traveling Santas. That does not, however, mean that Holiday Grind isn't worth your time; despite the tinsel, this is a cracking good mystery, chock full of murder, sex, blackmail, and intrigue. The book's got a strong narrative drive, an intricate storyline, and a great sense of atmosphere. And if when you're done, you don't emerge itching for a perfectly drawn espresso or a cup of Jamaican Blue Mountain, there's a good chance you're dead inside.
If Coyle's writing has one fault, it's her minor characters. The Village Blend's baristas -- flamboyant actor-playwright Tucker, hip jazz musician Gardner, grad student and slam poetess Esther, and tattooed fine-arts painter Dante -- are little more than caricatures of people you'd expect to find in a Village coffeehouse. Traveling Santa and down-on-his-luck standup-comic-wannabe Alf Glockner is annoying even in death. And with his cowboy boots, Yankees jacket, and red, white, and blue do-rag, Sergeant Franco is patently ridiculous.
Her main characters more than make up for this flaw, though. Clare makes for a smart, plucky heroine, hunky NYPD Detective Mike Quinn is everything you could hope for in a series love interest, and the romance between the two throws off plenty of sparks. Clare's "family" -- reformed-bad-boy and ex-husband Matteo Allegro, sophisticated socialite and ex-mother-in-law Madame Allegro, and daughter Joy -- are also compelling characters, and are a big part of what makes Coyle's fictional world feel so lifelike.
Holiday Grind is the eighth installment in Cleo Coyle's Coffeehouse Mystery series. I'm an avid fan, having purchased and read every installment -- the last few in hardcover. Trust me when I tell you there's a reason Coyle's become a big name on the cozy scene. Her books don't disappoint. Do yourself a favor, and go out and buy one today.
REVIEW: Scared Stiff
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's September mystery section.
Scared Stiff by Annelise Ryan
Kensington, August 2010
Rating: 6 (Satisfactory) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10).
For fans of: J.A. Konrath and Kinky Friedman
When Shannon Tolliver sets up an elaborate display of Halloween decorations on her front lawn, she isn't expecting her bloody corpse to become part of the tableau. The police arrest Tolliver's estranged husband, Erik, for the crime, but Deputy Coroner Mattie Winston is positive he's innocent -- so positive, in fact, she bets oh-so-hunky Detective Steve Hurley she can prove it. Are Mattie's sleuthing skills up to the task?
Don't let the cozy-looking cover fool you -- this book is anything but. Putrefaction and maggots and feces, oh my! Scared Stiff is not a book for the squeamish; Annelise Ryan has packed her latest (the second in the series) to the gills with gory crime scenes, gooey autopsies, and leaking catheters.
Now, I have no problem with gore -- I'm well aware murder is neither cozy nor antiseptic. And there are plenty of authors out there who do gore well -- Tess Gerritsen, for example, often writes scenes that can turn even the most iron of stomachs. But Tess Gerritsen's gore serves a purpose. Almost to a detail, it's there because it's forwarding the plot in some way -- it's a clue, or it's helping to establish a setting or a mood. Not so with Ryan. Scared Stiff is full of indiscriminate gore, dropped seemingly at random and, as far as I can tell, for little reason other than shock value.
I'm not saying Scared Stiff isn't a decent book. Mattie makes an engaging protagonist -- a smart, funny, self-deprecating ice-cream-addict for whom readers will want to root -- and the supporting characters are likable, as well, from Mattie's neurotic and hopelessly old-fashioned mother to date-gone-wrong William-not-Bill. Her budding relationship with Detective Hurley is compelling series fodder (not to mention steamy enough to make the average reader's heart skip a beat or two), and the mystery is incredibly clever and well-constructed. Ryan's prose is even quite good when she allows herself a serious moment, but they're too few far and between. She writes some touching scenes -- Mattie and her husband David discussing the demise of their marriage, for example -- but the skill and poise with which she writes her characters' vulnerability is almost without fail undercut by "death goo," rancid cottage cheese, and near-constant references to her character's breasts.
Her humor starts out as irreverent -- something you'd see in a Janet Evanovich novel, maybe -- but irreverent quickly gives way to puerile and tacky. Add in a while host of farcical elements (the town's only cab service is staffed by senior citizens who can't drive after dark; an early car accident strands Mattie with a catheter-challenged, senile, dessert-obsessed sidekick/chauffeur, and then later, a used hearse for a car; and the town's only bars are named Nowhere, Somewhere, and Anywhere) and the end product feels like a good mystery novel hijacked and re-written by a twelve-year-old boy.
The book ends strongly, with tons of action and lots of romantic and dramatic tension, but for me, it was too little, too late.
Scared Stiff by Annelise Ryan
Kensington, August 2010
Rating: 6 (Satisfactory) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10).
For fans of: J.A. Konrath and Kinky Friedman
When Shannon Tolliver sets up an elaborate display of Halloween decorations on her front lawn, she isn't expecting her bloody corpse to become part of the tableau. The police arrest Tolliver's estranged husband, Erik, for the crime, but Deputy Coroner Mattie Winston is positive he's innocent -- so positive, in fact, she bets oh-so-hunky Detective Steve Hurley she can prove it. Are Mattie's sleuthing skills up to the task?
Don't let the cozy-looking cover fool you -- this book is anything but. Putrefaction and maggots and feces, oh my! Scared Stiff is not a book for the squeamish; Annelise Ryan has packed her latest (the second in the series) to the gills with gory crime scenes, gooey autopsies, and leaking catheters.
Now, I have no problem with gore -- I'm well aware murder is neither cozy nor antiseptic. And there are plenty of authors out there who do gore well -- Tess Gerritsen, for example, often writes scenes that can turn even the most iron of stomachs. But Tess Gerritsen's gore serves a purpose. Almost to a detail, it's there because it's forwarding the plot in some way -- it's a clue, or it's helping to establish a setting or a mood. Not so with Ryan. Scared Stiff is full of indiscriminate gore, dropped seemingly at random and, as far as I can tell, for little reason other than shock value.
I'm not saying Scared Stiff isn't a decent book. Mattie makes an engaging protagonist -- a smart, funny, self-deprecating ice-cream-addict for whom readers will want to root -- and the supporting characters are likable, as well, from Mattie's neurotic and hopelessly old-fashioned mother to date-gone-wrong William-not-Bill. Her budding relationship with Detective Hurley is compelling series fodder (not to mention steamy enough to make the average reader's heart skip a beat or two), and the mystery is incredibly clever and well-constructed. Ryan's prose is even quite good when she allows herself a serious moment, but they're too few far and between. She writes some touching scenes -- Mattie and her husband David discussing the demise of their marriage, for example -- but the skill and poise with which she writes her characters' vulnerability is almost without fail undercut by "death goo," rancid cottage cheese, and near-constant references to her character's breasts.
Her humor starts out as irreverent -- something you'd see in a Janet Evanovich novel, maybe -- but irreverent quickly gives way to puerile and tacky. Add in a while host of farcical elements (the town's only cab service is staffed by senior citizens who can't drive after dark; an early car accident strands Mattie with a catheter-challenged, senile, dessert-obsessed sidekick/chauffeur, and then later, a used hearse for a car; and the town's only bars are named Nowhere, Somewhere, and Anywhere) and the end product feels like a good mystery novel hijacked and re-written by a twelve-year-old boy.
The book ends strongly, with tons of action and lots of romantic and dramatic tension, but for me, it was too little, too late.
REVIEW: Fundraising the Dead
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's October mystery section.
Fundraising the Dead by Sheila Connolly
Berkley Prime Crime, October 2010
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
For fans of: Julie Hyzy
Eleanor "Nell" Pratt has her hands full. The Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society is celebrating its 125th anniversary in grand style, and as Director of Development (aka chief fundraiser), it's Nell's job to make sure the event goes off without a hitch. It's hardly good timing, then when mere hours before the guests are scheduled to arrive, board member Marty Terwilliger bursts into Nell's office and drops a bombshell into her lap: a folder full of George Washington's correspondence has disappeared. Nell's positive the letters have been misfiled, but looks into the problem to appease Marty -- only to discover that no only are the letters nowhere to be found, but millions of dollars' worth of additional documents and artifacts have gone missing, as well. And then, to make matters worse, Alfred Findley -- the Society's archivist, and the only other staff member who knows the true extent of the thefts -- is found dead. The police are convinced the death was an accident, but Nell isn't so sure. Can Nell unmask the thief and catch Alfred's killer in time to save the reputation of her beloved society -- and to prevent herself from becoming the next victim?
Fundraising the Dead is the first in Sheila Connolly's new Museum Mystery series, and if the debut is any indication of what's to come, the cozy world is in for a treat. Simply put, this book is a fantastic read. The plot is intricate, the mystery is clever, and the clues are subtle and artfully deployed. Connolly's prose is skillful and sharp, and her character development is first-rate.
You wouldn't think a historical society fundraiser would make a terribly compelling protagonist, but Connolly has created a capable and charming heroine in Nell. Nell's in good company here, too; Fundraising the Dead is full of strong, smart female characters who think and do for themselves: tenacious board member Marty, rich and seductive Libby, cantankerous bulldog Doris -- the list goes on and on. And that's not to say that the men in this book aren't marvelous characters in their own right -- sexy Society president Charles Worthington begs comparison to Thomas Crown, and Agent James Morrison may be the best fictional FBI agent/potential love interest I've read since Victoria Laurie introduced Dutch Rivers.
The Society itself never quite come to live during the course of this tale; I found I never had a clear understanding of the Society's workings, nor was I ever able to form a picture in my head as to its appearance or layout. That's a minor quibble, though, and given Connolly's attention to detail, it's one that will likely be addressed as the series progresses.
Fundraising the Dead is a rarity in today's cozy scene: a smart book populated with intelligent people. It's a wonderful and welcome entrant to the genre, and I eagerly anticipate the release of future Museum Mysteries.
Fundraising the Dead by Sheila Connolly
Berkley Prime Crime, October 2010
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
For fans of: Julie Hyzy
Eleanor "Nell" Pratt has her hands full. The Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society is celebrating its 125th anniversary in grand style, and as Director of Development (aka chief fundraiser), it's Nell's job to make sure the event goes off without a hitch. It's hardly good timing, then when mere hours before the guests are scheduled to arrive, board member Marty Terwilliger bursts into Nell's office and drops a bombshell into her lap: a folder full of George Washington's correspondence has disappeared. Nell's positive the letters have been misfiled, but looks into the problem to appease Marty -- only to discover that no only are the letters nowhere to be found, but millions of dollars' worth of additional documents and artifacts have gone missing, as well. And then, to make matters worse, Alfred Findley -- the Society's archivist, and the only other staff member who knows the true extent of the thefts -- is found dead. The police are convinced the death was an accident, but Nell isn't so sure. Can Nell unmask the thief and catch Alfred's killer in time to save the reputation of her beloved society -- and to prevent herself from becoming the next victim?
Fundraising the Dead is the first in Sheila Connolly's new Museum Mystery series, and if the debut is any indication of what's to come, the cozy world is in for a treat. Simply put, this book is a fantastic read. The plot is intricate, the mystery is clever, and the clues are subtle and artfully deployed. Connolly's prose is skillful and sharp, and her character development is first-rate.
You wouldn't think a historical society fundraiser would make a terribly compelling protagonist, but Connolly has created a capable and charming heroine in Nell. Nell's in good company here, too; Fundraising the Dead is full of strong, smart female characters who think and do for themselves: tenacious board member Marty, rich and seductive Libby, cantankerous bulldog Doris -- the list goes on and on. And that's not to say that the men in this book aren't marvelous characters in their own right -- sexy Society president Charles Worthington begs comparison to Thomas Crown, and Agent James Morrison may be the best fictional FBI agent/potential love interest I've read since Victoria Laurie introduced Dutch Rivers.
The Society itself never quite come to live during the course of this tale; I found I never had a clear understanding of the Society's workings, nor was I ever able to form a picture in my head as to its appearance or layout. That's a minor quibble, though, and given Connolly's attention to detail, it's one that will likely be addressed as the series progresses.
Fundraising the Dead is a rarity in today's cozy scene: a smart book populated with intelligent people. It's a wonderful and welcome entrant to the genre, and I eagerly anticipate the release of future Museum Mysteries.
REVIEW: Dirty Rotten Tendrils
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's October mystery section.
Dirty Rotten Tendrils by Kate Collins
Obsidian Mass Market Paperback, October 2010
Rating: 8 (Very Good) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
Florist and law-school-dropout Abby Knight loves her small town of New Chapel, Indiana; it's clean, it's quiet, and you can always find a place to park. But when hometown hero Cody Verse returns to town, fresh off his win on America's Next Hit Single and ready to do battle in court over the rights to the song that earned him his fame, the pace that Abby holds so dear is threatened. Soon, New Chapel is overrun with screaming fans and news vans. And then, just when it seems like the media circus couldn't get any bigger, Cody's hot-shot lawyer, Ken "the Lip" Lipinski, turns up dead. The police like the Lip's opposing counsel -- and Abby's old boss -- Dave Hammond for the crime, but Abby knows Dave isn't capable of murder. Can she and her "yummy-hot" boyfriend Marco catch the real killer and prove Dave's innocence in time to prevent him from doing time?
Dirty Rotten Tendrils is the eleventh in Kate Collins' Flower Shop Mystery series. I've only read one other of Collins' books (her debut, Mum's the Word), and I liked it well enough, but if Dirty Rotten Tendrils is any indication, Collins' storytelling ability has progressed along with her series. Collins paints vivid pictures with her prose, and her dialogue sparkles. Her characterization is strong, and major and minor characters alike are fully formed on the page. Abby's relationship with private-detective-by-day-bartender-by-night Marco is well-developed and realistic, and with Marco, Collins has devised the perfect vehicle to get Abby involved in her investigations.
Collins' book unfortunately lacks some of the intensity I look for in a mystery; yes, the D.A. is hell-bent on charging Dave with the Lip's murder, but at no point do you ever really doubt that Abby and Marco will exonerate him, and no one else is ever in any danger of being killed. That's a minor complaint, though, and the mystery in Dirty Rotten Tendrils is really quite clever -- complex, but not too, and it kept me guessing until the very end.
Also, while I appreciate that Collins take the time to flesh out her B-story, and I love that she ends Dirty Rotten Tendrils with a B-story-related sucker-punch of a cliffhanger, the book feels a bit long at 315 pages. I think she could have dropped a couple of the less integral events from her tale -- her assistant Lottie's makeover at the hands of her ditzy fashionista cousin Jillian, for example -- and it would have made for a tighter book. That being said, however, Dirty Rotten Tendrils has great narrative drive, and the book barrels right along despite its length.
All in all, Dirty Rotten Tendrils is a great read. Kate Collins successfully puts a young, hip spin on the traditional small-town mystery (her style is very evocative of Madeline Alt), and I fully intend to run right out and mine her back catalog while I await Abby's next adventure.
Dirty Rotten Tendrils by Kate Collins
Obsidian Mass Market Paperback, October 2010
Rating: 8 (Very Good) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
Florist and law-school-dropout Abby Knight loves her small town of New Chapel, Indiana; it's clean, it's quiet, and you can always find a place to park. But when hometown hero Cody Verse returns to town, fresh off his win on America's Next Hit Single and ready to do battle in court over the rights to the song that earned him his fame, the pace that Abby holds so dear is threatened. Soon, New Chapel is overrun with screaming fans and news vans. And then, just when it seems like the media circus couldn't get any bigger, Cody's hot-shot lawyer, Ken "the Lip" Lipinski, turns up dead. The police like the Lip's opposing counsel -- and Abby's old boss -- Dave Hammond for the crime, but Abby knows Dave isn't capable of murder. Can she and her "yummy-hot" boyfriend Marco catch the real killer and prove Dave's innocence in time to prevent him from doing time?
Dirty Rotten Tendrils is the eleventh in Kate Collins' Flower Shop Mystery series. I've only read one other of Collins' books (her debut, Mum's the Word), and I liked it well enough, but if Dirty Rotten Tendrils is any indication, Collins' storytelling ability has progressed along with her series. Collins paints vivid pictures with her prose, and her dialogue sparkles. Her characterization is strong, and major and minor characters alike are fully formed on the page. Abby's relationship with private-detective-by-day-bartender-by-night Marco is well-developed and realistic, and with Marco, Collins has devised the perfect vehicle to get Abby involved in her investigations.
Collins' book unfortunately lacks some of the intensity I look for in a mystery; yes, the D.A. is hell-bent on charging Dave with the Lip's murder, but at no point do you ever really doubt that Abby and Marco will exonerate him, and no one else is ever in any danger of being killed. That's a minor complaint, though, and the mystery in Dirty Rotten Tendrils is really quite clever -- complex, but not too, and it kept me guessing until the very end.
Also, while I appreciate that Collins take the time to flesh out her B-story, and I love that she ends Dirty Rotten Tendrils with a B-story-related sucker-punch of a cliffhanger, the book feels a bit long at 315 pages. I think she could have dropped a couple of the less integral events from her tale -- her assistant Lottie's makeover at the hands of her ditzy fashionista cousin Jillian, for example -- and it would have made for a tighter book. That being said, however, Dirty Rotten Tendrils has great narrative drive, and the book barrels right along despite its length.
All in all, Dirty Rotten Tendrils is a great read. Kate Collins successfully puts a young, hip spin on the traditional small-town mystery (her style is very evocative of Madeline Alt), and I fully intend to run right out and mine her back catalog while I await Abby's next adventure.
REVIEW: Scoop to Kill
Note: This review originally appeared in The Season E-Zine's September mystery section.
Scoop to Kill by Wendy Lyn Watson
Obsidian Mass Market Paperback, September 2010
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
Tally Jones shows up at Dickerson University's Honor's Day expecting to celebrate her niece Alice's academic achievement, and maybe drum up some business for her ice cream parlor, Remember the A-la-mode. Things take a turn for the unexpected, though, when Alice stumbles across the body of a dead grad student just as the festivities are about to begin. Alice's professor seems the obvious culprit, but then winds up dead herself. Can Tally figure out whodunit in time to prevent the killer from striking again?
Scoop to Kill is the second in Wendy Lyn Watson's Mystery a la Mode series. I've yet to read the series debut, I Scream, You Scream, but I didn't find that this at all hindered my enjoyment of Scoop to Kill. In fact, I'd say Scoop to Kill is a must-read for anyone who loves cozy mysteries. It's well-paced, cleverly plotted, and beautifully written. The mystery is smart -- complicated, but not too, with clues dropped in all the right places -- and Watson's prose is both witty and refined. Her descriptions are lush and vivid, from her people to her places to her ice cream (strawberry balsamic, anyone?) and her characters are fully realized to a one. Her dialogue is sharp and reads effortlessly -- a feat considering she writes many of her characters with a Southern drawl. And for those who like a little romance with their murder, Tally's encounters with bad-boy Finn and straight-arrow Cal provide a nice hint of sizzle.
It's worth noting Tally isn't your stereotypical amateur sleuth. She doesn't even play the role of detective much during the first three quarters of the book; rather, the mystery sort of unfolds around her while she's busy doing other things. While I found this a refreshing change from the typical busybody-who-constantly-finds-herself-in-the-thick-of-active-police-investigations protagonist, it ultimately cost Scoop to Kill a sense of urgency, which is the only reason I didn't give this book a perfect 10. Tally's interest in solving the mystery seemed less about catching the killer than avenging the victims' deaths and bringing closure to their loved ones. This is a laudable goal, but I missed the sense of imminent danger I've come to expect from murder mysteries -- the knowledge that if the protagonist doesn't catch the killer and soon, Something Terrible (or at least Something Really Unfortunate) will happen to her or someone she loves. That's not to say Scoop to Kill doesn't have a satisfying conclusion (quite the opposite -- I loved both the resolution of the mystery and the end of the book) or is in any sense a slow read (to the contrary, I couldn't put it down), but ideally, I'd have liked the stakes for Tally to have been just a little higher.
Scoop to Kill's humor and larger-than-life characters are reminiscent of something you'd see in a Donna Andrews book, while Nancy Atherton fans will no doubt appreciate Watson's charm and skillful prose. With just one book, Watson has maneuvered herself onto my list of must-read authors. Tally makes a smart and charming hero, and I eagerly look forward to her next adventure.
Scoop to Kill by Wendy Lyn Watson
Obsidian Mass Market Paperback, September 2010
Rating: 9 (Excellent) (The Season's rating scale runs from 1 to 10.)
Tally Jones shows up at Dickerson University's Honor's Day expecting to celebrate her niece Alice's academic achievement, and maybe drum up some business for her ice cream parlor, Remember the A-la-mode. Things take a turn for the unexpected, though, when Alice stumbles across the body of a dead grad student just as the festivities are about to begin. Alice's professor seems the obvious culprit, but then winds up dead herself. Can Tally figure out whodunit in time to prevent the killer from striking again?
Scoop to Kill is the second in Wendy Lyn Watson's Mystery a la Mode series. I've yet to read the series debut, I Scream, You Scream, but I didn't find that this at all hindered my enjoyment of Scoop to Kill. In fact, I'd say Scoop to Kill is a must-read for anyone who loves cozy mysteries. It's well-paced, cleverly plotted, and beautifully written. The mystery is smart -- complicated, but not too, with clues dropped in all the right places -- and Watson's prose is both witty and refined. Her descriptions are lush and vivid, from her people to her places to her ice cream (strawberry balsamic, anyone?) and her characters are fully realized to a one. Her dialogue is sharp and reads effortlessly -- a feat considering she writes many of her characters with a Southern drawl. And for those who like a little romance with their murder, Tally's encounters with bad-boy Finn and straight-arrow Cal provide a nice hint of sizzle.
It's worth noting Tally isn't your stereotypical amateur sleuth. She doesn't even play the role of detective much during the first three quarters of the book; rather, the mystery sort of unfolds around her while she's busy doing other things. While I found this a refreshing change from the typical busybody-who-constantly-finds-herself-in-the-thick-of-active-police-investigations protagonist, it ultimately cost Scoop to Kill a sense of urgency, which is the only reason I didn't give this book a perfect 10. Tally's interest in solving the mystery seemed less about catching the killer than avenging the victims' deaths and bringing closure to their loved ones. This is a laudable goal, but I missed the sense of imminent danger I've come to expect from murder mysteries -- the knowledge that if the protagonist doesn't catch the killer and soon, Something Terrible (or at least Something Really Unfortunate) will happen to her or someone she loves. That's not to say Scoop to Kill doesn't have a satisfying conclusion (quite the opposite -- I loved both the resolution of the mystery and the end of the book) or is in any sense a slow read (to the contrary, I couldn't put it down), but ideally, I'd have liked the stakes for Tally to have been just a little higher.
Scoop to Kill's humor and larger-than-life characters are reminiscent of something you'd see in a Donna Andrews book, while Nancy Atherton fans will no doubt appreciate Watson's charm and skillful prose. With just one book, Watson has maneuvered herself onto my list of must-read authors. Tally makes a smart and charming hero, and I eagerly look forward to her next adventure.