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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2434 KP) rated It Takes Two to Mango in Books

Feb 15, 2023 (Updated Feb 15, 2023)  
It Takes Two to Mango
It Takes Two to Mango
Carrie Doyle | 2021 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Plum’s Reset Gets Off to a Rocky Start
Plum Lockhart has lost her job at a travel magazine, so she reluctantly takes a job arranging vacation rentals at a resort in the Caribbean. However, her new co-worker is a jerk, and she struggls to get her first booking. When she does, tragedy strikes when one of the guests is found dead by the pool. Did Plum make the right decision by moving?

When this book begins, Plum is extremely unlikable, so much so that I almost put the book down about 30 pages in. Even when she arrives on the island, she doesn’t give up her ego and entitled attitude. The other characters we meet started pulling me in, both the ones I liked and the ones I didn’t. When the murder kicks in, I really got into the story, which had some good twists. I loved the resort setting. The expected character growth was good as well. I’m actually surprised based on my initial reaction, but I am planning to continue the series. If the setting appeals to you, consider starting this series. Just be prepared for how obnoxious Plum is at the beginning.
  
Murder at the Breakers
Murder at the Breakers
Alyssa Maxwell | 2014 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The Party to Die at
Emma Cross is attending the social event of the year at The Breakers. While she is distantly related to the hosts, the Vanderbilts, she is also covering it as the society reporter. The night ends in tragedy when a man falls to his death in front of Emma. With all the evidence pointing to her brother, Brady, who was up to something that night, Emma starts investigating. Can she find the truth?

This book does a great job balancing the beginning of the plot with the introduction of Emma and her world. The plot was great, and I appreciated that Emma fell for some red herrings before she reached the logical conclusion. The characters are also strong; it was hard to tell if some of them were going to be series regulars or were just suspects for this book. This book is a tad gray and falls closer to traditional than cozy for me, but that’s a minor issue. I also appreciated how the time and place came to life and were used by the author. It’s easy to tell why this series is so popular. I’m looking forward to reading more soon.