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Hazel (2934 KP) rated This Little Piggy in Books
Jan 27, 2020
This is another book that has been on my "to be read" pile since 2015!! I really have no excuse!
Set in the North East of England in 1984 at the height of the miners' strike, this is a story that captivated me from the start.
A baby is dead under suspicious circumstances and Clare is tasked with reporting the story but as she does so, she becomes embroiled in the life of a young girl (Amy) who seems to have seen what happened but can what she is saying be trusted or is she just making things up? Clare has her own baggage both in her personal and working life and this is well depicted and explored making her believable but some of her choices questionable. The development of the relationship between Clare and Amy felt authentic for the time the book was set it ... I don't think you would have got away with this had this been set in a later time period.
The book is told from Clare's perspective and this was a refreshing change as it gave a different insight into a murder "investigation" from someone other than a Police Officer. The backdrop of the miners' strike and the run-down estate created additional tension and unease throughout. The pace of the book was good if a little slow in places and I did work out quite early on who the murderer was but found it interesting to see how the story developed and was surprised how long it took for others to work it out!
Overall, a pretty good read and I want to thank Legend Press and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review but also apologise to them for taking so long to get round to it.
Set in the North East of England in 1984 at the height of the miners' strike, this is a story that captivated me from the start.
A baby is dead under suspicious circumstances and Clare is tasked with reporting the story but as she does so, she becomes embroiled in the life of a young girl (Amy) who seems to have seen what happened but can what she is saying be trusted or is she just making things up? Clare has her own baggage both in her personal and working life and this is well depicted and explored making her believable but some of her choices questionable. The development of the relationship between Clare and Amy felt authentic for the time the book was set it ... I don't think you would have got away with this had this been set in a later time period.
The book is told from Clare's perspective and this was a refreshing change as it gave a different insight into a murder "investigation" from someone other than a Police Officer. The backdrop of the miners' strike and the run-down estate created additional tension and unease throughout. The pace of the book was good if a little slow in places and I did work out quite early on who the murderer was but found it interesting to see how the story developed and was surprised how long it took for others to work it out!
Overall, a pretty good read and I want to thank Legend Press and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review but also apologise to them for taking so long to get round to it.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2400 KP) rated Statue of Limitations in Books
Jan 29, 2020
Entertaining Debut
Athena Spencer has had to move back to live with her family in Michigan after her divorce. That means dealing with her large, crazy Greek family on a daily basis since she and her young son are living with them and she is working at the family’s garden center. It also means she is on hand when her grandparent’s Greek restaurant is threatened by the powerful Talbot family. They intend to raze an entire block of shops to put in condos. The fact that a murder takes place in their home, two weeks after another suspicious death, doesn’t seem to be slowing their plans down at all. The police are focusing their attention on a stranger in town, but Athena thinks they have the wrong suspect. Can she solve the murder and save her grandparent’s restaurant?
As I was starting this book, I was thinking I was going to have problems with it. Athena’s family likes to spend their time meddling in her life, something that I find annoying. Honestly, the family needs more development quickly because I still found them annoying at the end. I also questioned just why Athena was going to such extremes to help a stranger. But I kept reading, and as I kept reading, I got more and more hooked on the story. Yes, there is a lot here, and in lesser hands, it might have gone very wrong. Here, it worked. There was always something going on to keep me engaged. The ending was a bit abrupt, but it did wrap everything up nicely. This is a light book, but if that is what you are looking for, you’ll be delighted. Kate Collins’s many fans will be very happy.
As I was starting this book, I was thinking I was going to have problems with it. Athena’s family likes to spend their time meddling in her life, something that I find annoying. Honestly, the family needs more development quickly because I still found them annoying at the end. I also questioned just why Athena was going to such extremes to help a stranger. But I kept reading, and as I kept reading, I got more and more hooked on the story. Yes, there is a lot here, and in lesser hands, it might have gone very wrong. Here, it worked. There was always something going on to keep me engaged. The ending was a bit abrupt, but it did wrap everything up nicely. This is a light book, but if that is what you are looking for, you’ll be delighted. Kate Collins’s many fans will be very happy.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2400 KP) rated Sell Low, Sweet Harriet in Books
Jan 2, 2020
A Killer on Base and a Challenging Estate Sale
In the middle of a cold January, Fitch Air Force Base is rocked by the murder of one of the servicemen’s wives. Sarah Winston knew the victim slightly since they both volunteered at the base’s thrift shop. When Sarah is asked to help the police by listening, and only listening, and sharing what she learns, she agrees. But can she keep it to just listening? Meanwhile, since January is slow for Sarah’s garage sale business, she is thrilled when someone contacts her about holding an estate sale. The woman’s parents were retired CIA and had traveled the globe, so the house is filled with all sorts of treasures. But Sarah soon concludes someone is after something hidden in the house. Can she figure out what it is?
While the garage sale is really a sub-plot, it is a strong sub-plot and we spend almost as much time there as we do with the murder. I did feel the plot got a bit distracted early on, but it didn’t last for long, and that might have been me more than the book. Even then, I was pulled into the story, and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The ending made perfect sense when Sarah figured it all out. Sarah has surrounded herself with a great group of friends and neighbors, and I was thrilled to spend time with each of them again. The new characters are strong as well. There are several sub-plots that allow the supporting characters chances to shine. We even get a couple of funny moments that just might make you laugh at loud. Each book in this series is a delight, and this is another adventure sure to please Sarah’s fans.
While the garage sale is really a sub-plot, it is a strong sub-plot and we spend almost as much time there as we do with the murder. I did feel the plot got a bit distracted early on, but it didn’t last for long, and that might have been me more than the book. Even then, I was pulled into the story, and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. The ending made perfect sense when Sarah figured it all out. Sarah has surrounded herself with a great group of friends and neighbors, and I was thrilled to spend time with each of them again. The new characters are strong as well. There are several sub-plots that allow the supporting characters chances to shine. We even get a couple of funny moments that just might make you laugh at loud. Each book in this series is a delight, and this is another adventure sure to please Sarah’s fans.
Debbiereadsbook (1487 KP) rated Poisoned Pawn in Books
Mar 2, 2020
not one for me
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I am struggling with my review for this one, and I have no idea if any of this will make sense you, since I'm struggling to make sense of the book.
Positives:
It's well written. I saw no spelling or editing errors. It plays well with the Sherlock Holmes and the characters all to do with him, the good and the bad. There is a huge supporting cast of well rounded and developed characters, that fit in, in all the right places. It's very different to my usual reads. I DID like the twist that I did not see coming, not in the slightest!
And I finished it!
Negatives (for me):
Single person point of view, in the first person.
And I have not a single clue about what was the point of the whole book! I kept on reading, since I thought *something* will make sense soon. Something will give me a sign what the whole point of this tale is. And I got nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero clue. There is an EXTREMELY tangled web within the book, and I tried to keep up, I really did, but I got lost somewhere around a key player's murder. I can see HOW everything came together, I just can't see WHY, you know?
Maybe it was just a little TOO far out of my corfort zone, although, pre-kindle days, crime/thriller/police books were my main stay, so I don't know!
Will I read anything else by this author? Probably not, no. Someone will be fully engrossed in the book and it will make total sense to them, but for me? Sorry.
3 stars, since what I read WAS well written, and I DID finish it.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I am struggling with my review for this one, and I have no idea if any of this will make sense you, since I'm struggling to make sense of the book.
Positives:
It's well written. I saw no spelling or editing errors. It plays well with the Sherlock Holmes and the characters all to do with him, the good and the bad. There is a huge supporting cast of well rounded and developed characters, that fit in, in all the right places. It's very different to my usual reads. I DID like the twist that I did not see coming, not in the slightest!
And I finished it!
Negatives (for me):
Single person point of view, in the first person.
And I have not a single clue about what was the point of the whole book! I kept on reading, since I thought *something* will make sense soon. Something will give me a sign what the whole point of this tale is. And I got nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero clue. There is an EXTREMELY tangled web within the book, and I tried to keep up, I really did, but I got lost somewhere around a key player's murder. I can see HOW everything came together, I just can't see WHY, you know?
Maybe it was just a little TOO far out of my corfort zone, although, pre-kindle days, crime/thriller/police books were my main stay, so I don't know!
Will I read anything else by this author? Probably not, no. Someone will be fully engrossed in the book and it will make total sense to them, but for me? Sorry.
3 stars, since what I read WAS well written, and I DID finish it.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2400 KP) rated Murder at the Taffy Shop in Books
Apr 2, 2020
Bad Neighbors Become Murder Victims
When Mac Almeida is visiting her parents, who live just down the street in her town of Westham on Cape Cod, she encounters Beverly Ruchart, their neighbor. Beverly is always complaining about something, be it the local soup kitchen or Mac’s parents’ puppy. Two mornings later, Mac finds her friend Gin crouched over Beverly’s dead body. When the police begin to suspect that Gin had something to do with the death, the Mac and the rest of the Cozy Capers, a book group that reads nothing but cozy mysteries, jump into action to clear one of their own. But can Mac piece together the clues everyone is finding?
I enjoyed the first in the series, so I was anxious to get back to visit Mac and her friends again. We do get a lot of characters, but the important characters stand out, and the rest are subtly reintroduced when they appear on the page again, so it is easy to track them. I have to give a special shout out to Mac pet, an African Gray parrot who gave me a couple good laughs. I did have a harder time tracking all the suspects early on, and especially their connections to each other. I suspect that might have been me being distracted by real life, and as I read, I was able to sort everything out. The plot gives us plenty of twists to keep us engaged. The ending was a little abrupt but logical. I enjoy the nods to other cozy series we get here, and as a bonus, we get five recipes at the end of this book for a variety of treats. Cozy lovers will enjoy solving a case along with a cast of characters who love cozies as much as they do.
I enjoyed the first in the series, so I was anxious to get back to visit Mac and her friends again. We do get a lot of characters, but the important characters stand out, and the rest are subtly reintroduced when they appear on the page again, so it is easy to track them. I have to give a special shout out to Mac pet, an African Gray parrot who gave me a couple good laughs. I did have a harder time tracking all the suspects early on, and especially their connections to each other. I suspect that might have been me being distracted by real life, and as I read, I was able to sort everything out. The plot gives us plenty of twists to keep us engaged. The ending was a little abrupt but logical. I enjoy the nods to other cozy series we get here, and as a bonus, we get five recipes at the end of this book for a variety of treats. Cozy lovers will enjoy solving a case along with a cast of characters who love cozies as much as they do.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2400 KP) rated Here Comes the Body in Books
Feb 26, 2020
Debut You Won’t Want to Refuse
Mia Carina has returned home after her adulterous husband’s mysterious disappearance to work in the family business. Or, I should say, the family’s new business. Her father, reputed mobster Ravello, has recently acquired the Belle View catering hall in the Queens borough of New York City, and Mia is going to help him run it as a 100% real business. Her first week on the job, Mia is in charge of a bachelor party when disaster strikes. Not only does the stripper not jump out of the cake, she’s dead in the cake. With the police showing interest in the new business and especially her father, Mia begins poking around, hoping to figure out what happened. Can she do it?
The mob? New York City? Yes, this is indeed still a cozy. While those are the elements that help make up this different take on the genre, they only help provide the background. The heart of the book is still a great puzzle and charming characters. Mia already knows some of the supporting players in the book, and we can tell right away how much they love each other. The rest of the characters are entertaining, and the suspects are strong. The plot weaves in some interesting directions before we reach the logical and satisfying conclusion. We get some great humor as Mia deals with a return home that isn’t as smooth as she thought it would be. Being a culinary cozy, we get some delicious sounding recipes at the end and a fun party idea. I took advantage of a lazy Sunday afternoon to finish this book, and I enjoyed every page of it. I’m already anxious for the sequel. It would be a mistake to refuse this excellent debut.
The mob? New York City? Yes, this is indeed still a cozy. While those are the elements that help make up this different take on the genre, they only help provide the background. The heart of the book is still a great puzzle and charming characters. Mia already knows some of the supporting players in the book, and we can tell right away how much they love each other. The rest of the characters are entertaining, and the suspects are strong. The plot weaves in some interesting directions before we reach the logical and satisfying conclusion. We get some great humor as Mia deals with a return home that isn’t as smooth as she thought it would be. Being a culinary cozy, we get some delicious sounding recipes at the end and a fun party idea. I took advantage of a lazy Sunday afternoon to finish this book, and I enjoyed every page of it. I’m already anxious for the sequel. It would be a mistake to refuse this excellent debut.
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