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magpie_books's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
paraplybot's review
5.0
En 1920-tals historia om ett första hos en nyhetstidning. Där ett assistent jobb ändras ett en utredande journalist. Om skadeler i vängrupper och hur det är att vara kvinna mot en mannsvärd.
Hennes aunts kompis är den som gör. Men grabben och hans pappa är dem som man ska akta sig för.
Hennes aunts kompis är den som gör. Men grabben och hans pappa är dem som man ska akta sig för.
christygsp's review
2.5
A lot of this was not what I expected. It was the first book so there’s a ton of set up for the rest of the series but for me what was frustrating was the plot.
If I have to read another book about how women are badly treated by sexist men I might be violently ill. I am so sick of this narrative, and while this is a historical fiction and more than likely had some accuracy in how Poppy would have been treated in the working world, I am so over that storyline.
Majority of this was about old suffragette’s and I just didn’t care about the story/mystery at all. Maybe I would like another of the books but something tells me we’d get that anyway.
I was bored and the only reason I made it to the end was because I was listening to the audiobook while I drove.
I will say, I liked Poppy and some of the news guys in her office. They were fun and interesting. The writing was fine.
I was pretty disappointed, but thems the breaks I suppose.
If I have to read another book about how women are badly treated by sexist men I might be violently ill. I am so sick of this narrative, and while this is a historical fiction and more than likely had some accuracy in how Poppy would have been treated in the working world, I am so over that storyline.
Majority of this was about old suffragette’s and I just didn’t care about the story/mystery at all. Maybe I would like another of the books but something tells me we’d get that anyway.
I was bored and the only reason I made it to the end was because I was listening to the audiobook while I drove.
I will say, I liked Poppy and some of the news guys in her office. They were fun and interesting. The writing was fine.
I was pretty disappointed, but thems the breaks I suppose.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Suicide attempt, and Sexual harassment
meezcarrie's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
“It’s what we call any story that has a whiff of high society scandal but can’t yet be proven … you never know when a skeleton in the closet might prove useful to a story we’re working on now.”
The Jazz Files is a British historical mystery with a unique setting and a unique cast of characters. Poppy Denby is a very likable heroine, a young woman from a sheltered background navigating her way through London at the height of the Roaring 20s. You can almost hear jazz playing as a soundtrack of sorts to her adventures, so vivid is the setting and mood.
The other characters are just as vibrant. Rollo – her boss at The Daily Globe, a small American with a large personality. Poppy’s Aunt Dot – still a bit of a diva in her own right. Delilah – Poppy’s best friend, an actress, modern and feisty but still vulnerable. And a hodgepodge of other colorful people we meet along the way.
As far as mysteries go, this one was full of suffragette history which added another layer of intrigue if you’re a history geek like I am. The pacing lagged a bit at times but overall this was well-plotted and well-played. Reading about the struggles that Aunt Dot and her suffragette friends faced in the past … and the battles any woman trying to break out of the traditional mold still faced … made me proud to be female and grateful for those who paved the way for the freedoms I take for granted today.
Bottom Line: Poppy Denby is a refreshing face in the historical mystery genre. She’s strong but feminine and she’s easy for any one to relate to, no matter your background or walk of life. Her newspaper job, her forays into the jazz scene, her aunt’s suffragette friends – all of these add further dimension to Poppy’s character and make the read that much more layered. Some of the history overpowers the plot in some instances, but overall it adds to it. The mystery, including the occasional switch to Elizabeth’s perspective, is typically British and while slow in parts it remains intriguing throughout.
Reviewer’s Note: As this book is written by a British author, it contains some words and themes which American readers may not be used to seeing in Christian fiction.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
“It’s what we call any story that has a whiff of high society scandal but can’t yet be proven … you never know when a skeleton in the closet might prove useful to a story we’re working on now.”
The Jazz Files is a British historical mystery with a unique setting and a unique cast of characters. Poppy Denby is a very likable heroine, a young woman from a sheltered background navigating her way through London at the height of the Roaring 20s. You can almost hear jazz playing as a soundtrack of sorts to her adventures, so vivid is the setting and mood.
The other characters are just as vibrant. Rollo – her boss at The Daily Globe, a small American with a large personality. Poppy’s Aunt Dot – still a bit of a diva in her own right. Delilah – Poppy’s best friend, an actress, modern and feisty but still vulnerable. And a hodgepodge of other colorful people we meet along the way.
As far as mysteries go, this one was full of suffragette history which added another layer of intrigue if you’re a history geek like I am. The pacing lagged a bit at times but overall this was well-plotted and well-played. Reading about the struggles that Aunt Dot and her suffragette friends faced in the past … and the battles any woman trying to break out of the traditional mold still faced … made me proud to be female and grateful for those who paved the way for the freedoms I take for granted today.
Bottom Line: Poppy Denby is a refreshing face in the historical mystery genre. She’s strong but feminine and she’s easy for any one to relate to, no matter your background or walk of life. Her newspaper job, her forays into the jazz scene, her aunt’s suffragette friends – all of these add further dimension to Poppy’s character and make the read that much more layered. Some of the history overpowers the plot in some instances, but overall it adds to it. The mystery, including the occasional switch to Elizabeth’s perspective, is typically British and while slow in parts it remains intriguing throughout.
Reviewer’s Note: As this book is written by a British author, it contains some words and themes which American readers may not be used to seeing in Christian fiction.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first seen at Reading Is My SuperPower
bookfilledcottage's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
I loved diving into Poppy’s world and will definitely continue reading her story in the rest of the books.
Fiona’s writing is addictive, smart and very rich; helping you teleport into the very middle of the setting. And what a gorgeous setting this book had! London in the 1920s, following our beloved Poppy who wants to make her own living as a reporter and moves in with her suffragette aunt.
The plot was refreshing and exciting, and the characters were so endearing and well polished that I could see them playing out their roles in my mind.
If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie’s novels for their settings and their exciting finales, this might just be up your alley!
Fiona’s writing is addictive, smart and very rich; helping you teleport into the very middle of the setting. And what a gorgeous setting this book had! London in the 1920s, following our beloved Poppy who wants to make her own living as a reporter and moves in with her suffragette aunt.
The plot was refreshing and exciting, and the characters were so endearing and well polished that I could see them playing out their roles in my mind.
If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie’s novels for their settings and their exciting finales, this might just be up your alley!
blacksentai's review against another edition
3.0
This one surprised me, I liked it more than I thought I would.
gardenreader's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
3.0
cctblog's review against another edition
4.0
Set in 1920, The Jazz Files introduces readers to Poppy Denby, a plucky young woman who longs for more than becoming the wife and mother she is expected to be. When a position as the assistant to the editor of The Daily Globe rather improbably turns into a chance to showcase her journalistic skills, Poppy becomes the target of a powerful man whose schemes she seeks to expose.
While at first I struggled to get into the rhythm of The Jazz Files, once I settled into Smith's writing style, I couldn't fly through the pages quickly enough! I found myself completely pulled into Poppy's world, and as the mystery became more and more complicated, I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. Poppy is a delightful main character, and I look forward to reading more about her adventures in reporting ... and about her potential romance with photographer Daniel. The Jazz Files is a solid introduction to what looks to be an engrossing series.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
While at first I struggled to get into the rhythm of The Jazz Files, once I settled into Smith's writing style, I couldn't fly through the pages quickly enough! I found myself completely pulled into Poppy's world, and as the mystery became more and more complicated, I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. Poppy is a delightful main character, and I look forward to reading more about her adventures in reporting ... and about her potential romance with photographer Daniel. The Jazz Files is a solid introduction to what looks to be an engrossing series.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Kregel Publications. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
toofondofbooks's review against another edition
5.0
The Jazz Files is a wonderful novel. From the moment I first saw the cover I was very keen to read the book, it’s such an eye-catching and memorable cover. The novel then opens with a poem by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, which meant it immediately appealed to me as she is one of my favourite writers. I was sure that I was going to be in for a real treat with this book and I was absolutely right.
Poppy Denby arrives in London to look after her ailing Aunt Dot, who was a part of the suffragette movement. Dot quickly encourages Poppy to go out and find herself a career. Poppy finds herself a job as an editorial assistant at The Daily Globe but is soon working as an investigative journalist after a reporter falls to his death in the newsroom.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved how spirited Poppy was, and her Aunt Dot was such a character. I really enjoyed the flashbacks to 1913 and all the references to the suffragette movement as it’s such a fascinating period in history. Smith acknowledges in the notes for this book that she played with the timeline of real events ever so slightly but it doesn’t affect your reading of the novel at all; there is so much truth and believability in this novel, it is impossible not to enjoy it. I love how the struggles that women had gone through, and were still going through, run through this book, and yet it remains such a celebration of what women were beginning to achieve. The female characters are at the forefront of this story; they all have such tenacity to achieve their goals that you just so want them to succeed and you can’t fail to admire them.
I loved Poppy’s friendship with the slightly eccentric Delilah; the things they got up to in the name of investigating the mystery were such fun and I was so engrossed in the story that I felt like I was along on the ride with them.
I very much enjoyed Poppy’s flirtations with Daniel too. I adored the way that she was falling for him and how she was so forward-thinking in many ways but then all of a sudden she would tell him off for being too bold. It was delightful to read and I can’t wait to see what might happen next for these two!
I was intrigued by Elizabeth and I very much enjoyed how the mystery around her and her family was revealed. I noticed what was perhaps another reference to Charlotte Perkins Gilman later in the novel when Elizabeth thinks the mould on the walls in her room is changing and moving, it reminded me of the woman losing her mind in The Yellow Wallpaper. It meant the reader was never absolutely sure about Elizabeth and what she had to tell, which heightens the sense of mystery.
I am thrilled that this is the first in a new series of books and I absolutely cannot wait to read more of Poppy’s adventures; I’ll be first in line to pre-order the next book as soon as it’s available. I can’t recommend this novel highly enough; I’m actually going to be putting it on my favourites shelf and there aren’t very many books that make it on to there. Even though this was a mystery novel and I now know the outcome, I will still re-read this because I loved the characters and the story so much. I’m also about to buy a couple of copies to give as gifts to friends who I know will enjoy this novel as much as I did.
I rate this novel 5 out 0f 5 and give it pride of place on my all-time favourites shelf!
This book was sent to me by Lion Hudson in exchange for an honest review.
The Jazz Files is out now and available on Amazon.
Poppy Denby arrives in London to look after her ailing Aunt Dot, who was a part of the suffragette movement. Dot quickly encourages Poppy to go out and find herself a career. Poppy finds herself a job as an editorial assistant at The Daily Globe but is soon working as an investigative journalist after a reporter falls to his death in the newsroom.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved how spirited Poppy was, and her Aunt Dot was such a character. I really enjoyed the flashbacks to 1913 and all the references to the suffragette movement as it’s such a fascinating period in history. Smith acknowledges in the notes for this book that she played with the timeline of real events ever so slightly but it doesn’t affect your reading of the novel at all; there is so much truth and believability in this novel, it is impossible not to enjoy it. I love how the struggles that women had gone through, and were still going through, run through this book, and yet it remains such a celebration of what women were beginning to achieve. The female characters are at the forefront of this story; they all have such tenacity to achieve their goals that you just so want them to succeed and you can’t fail to admire them.
I loved Poppy’s friendship with the slightly eccentric Delilah; the things they got up to in the name of investigating the mystery were such fun and I was so engrossed in the story that I felt like I was along on the ride with them.
I very much enjoyed Poppy’s flirtations with Daniel too. I adored the way that she was falling for him and how she was so forward-thinking in many ways but then all of a sudden she would tell him off for being too bold. It was delightful to read and I can’t wait to see what might happen next for these two!
I was intrigued by Elizabeth and I very much enjoyed how the mystery around her and her family was revealed. I noticed what was perhaps another reference to Charlotte Perkins Gilman later in the novel when Elizabeth thinks the mould on the walls in her room is changing and moving, it reminded me of the woman losing her mind in The Yellow Wallpaper. It meant the reader was never absolutely sure about Elizabeth and what she had to tell, which heightens the sense of mystery.
I am thrilled that this is the first in a new series of books and I absolutely cannot wait to read more of Poppy’s adventures; I’ll be first in line to pre-order the next book as soon as it’s available. I can’t recommend this novel highly enough; I’m actually going to be putting it on my favourites shelf and there aren’t very many books that make it on to there. Even though this was a mystery novel and I now know the outcome, I will still re-read this because I loved the characters and the story so much. I’m also about to buy a couple of copies to give as gifts to friends who I know will enjoy this novel as much as I did.
I rate this novel 5 out 0f 5 and give it pride of place on my all-time favourites shelf!
This book was sent to me by Lion Hudson in exchange for an honest review.
The Jazz Files is out now and available on Amazon.